Guild Wars: Seed Of Darkness
by Nivrin
Summary: Life after Zhaitan has been serene, until the threat of a new Elder Dragon arises. Mordremoth - a name not known by many has resurfaced. The Tyria Vanguard has risen to the challenge and seeks to find any information about the new Elder Dragon, as well as investigate another mystery. Something dark dwells within the Maguuma Wastes. Something new that is of shadow...
1. Chapter 1

1

"Those the ruins Dwibb?" asked Arrik pointing down from the barely noticeable trail atop the side of the mountain. He wiped some sweat from his head and shook a little, relieved they had arrived. He was too used to the Shiverpeaks and this was his first journey from the mountains.

The small decrepit remains Arrik pointed at were nestled in jungle debris and at the bottom of the mountain range. The mountain range formed a type of geological, misshapen cone forming a type of pit at the base where the ruins were built. With how small the ancient building was and the amount of overgrown jungle life that spread over it, the ruins were barely noticeable if not for the parts of gray stones standing out from the variety of greens; even from the sky would this place look like nothing but a cavity in a mountain.

"Better be them, I can't stand this Maguuma heat," Rylon added now standing a few feet in front of Arrik. Rylon started to bunch up his every day robes ever so lightly to let air flow to places the robes composition would usually disallow. He thought light robes would be appropriate for the Tarnished Coast, but his skin riddled with sweat showed otherwise.

"It might be! I remember these trees. Let me see!" said Dwibb excitedly climbing up Rylon to see Arrik's inquiry despite Rylon's firm protest against the Asura on his nice robes. "Ah! It is indeed! Well done Norn! Good eyes," Dwibb made a cheerful gesture with his body, "See. This is why I brought you Norn, for your young reflexes and strapping stature. You're still young, right?"

"I am, just passed my trials a few weeks ago. This mission I will add to my legacy," Arrik said yanking a branch down and out of their way.

Dwibb was thrilled to see the ruins again. He wiggled in happiness atop Rylon and leapt down to the ground in all his Asura glory. His leather attire did not faze him as it should in the hot jungle. This was due to the contraption affixed to the wardrobe, built to inject a non-toxic cooling agent into his body upon a button press. His engineering background both served and prepared him well for the jungle.

"Please don't do that again!" Rylon firmly shouted in utter disgust and complete concern for his attire. He was peeved, angered, and heavily disturbed in the fact the Asura climbed up him. Not because it hurt a little or it was unprecedented, but the fact he dirtied up the robes slightly. Rylon was thankful Dwibb had leather on and the fact he was able to wipe the dirt off easily, else he may have lost it.

"Good. Let's get down there," commented Arrik heaving his maul over his left shoulder and pressing forward past the two ready for whatever may be ahead. Nothing could stop him from wanting to get this mission over with. Arrik's will was so determined to return home and tell his companions about his first journey that he could almost hear his ancestors calling from the Shiverpeaks for him to return home to Hoelbrak.

"Agreed. It shall be quick and fairly easy for us to finish the quest." Dwibb leapt over a log in the way and walked happily down the Arrik-trodden brush. "I just need to re-examine it."

"I hope this will be easy," Rylon said while carefully calculating where to step and how to not rip his robes. So far, Rylon's robe was just as pristine as when he set out to find the ruins, even through Dwibb's climb, just now tainted with sweat.

"Oh, it will be easy human. I just need to take another gander at the tablet I left there. I misinterpreted it I believe or didn't read it quite right. I've been conducting my experiments wrong and looking in the wrong locations for the last tree. I knew I should have just taken it with me back then."

"And this isn't something you can find in a library?" Arrik asked snapping the larger branches and bunched up twigs that would stop them, pulling vines down out of their path, and stamping down anything in front of him, making sure no obstacles would be in the other two's way.

"No you dim Bookah! This is old knowledge! Something no one has seen or knows, well," he looked down slightly realizing what he said was untrue, "I lie. Most have seen it once," Dwibb commented with a head tilt in thought of his words.

"We have?" Rylon asked while carefully bending down while in mid walk to avoid the gentle twigs and shrubs in his way, as if they could rip even a thread of his robe.

"Yes. The Grove. The Sylvari." Dwibb said calmly and dull, yet his tone with much passion on the subject. He was a botanist after all, though his Asura background titled it a 'Bioengineer' instead of a 'Botanist' most would deem the title.

Arrik stopped and turned to the side to Dwibb, not even finishing breaking the branch in his grasp. "Sylvarri? You said something about a tree… So you mean the Pale Tree they come from?" Arrik put together. His mind began to wonder just what Dwibb's intentions were for the mission.

"Yes. That tree is my desire," Dwibb emoted sternly, standing his full three feet eight inches tall. His arms folded, brown-gold pupils staring at Arrik, wondering why the Norn stopped to ask him a question, "Now keep moving Soulclaw, time is precious."

"It is precious, but wait," Arrik fully turned to the Asura with a contemplative look. He may be young, but he was with it, "it sounds to me we're getting in a bigger mess than I signed up for little one," Arrik said realizing this Asura was hiding something. "If you want the Pale Tree, we're somewhat close by. We're near The Grove, let's just go visit and be done with it."

"Little one?" Dwibb asked Arrik with a peeved tone, ignoring Arrik's suggestion of visitation. Dwibb's ears straightened downward in slight anger. "I am Bioengineer Dwibb, son of Grindii and Farna, brother to Master Engineer Vablu and Geomancer Grebb. I am no 'little-one', big-one."

Arrik smiled at the 'little one', the supposed titles and prestige from the Asura meaning little to Arrik. "Sorry to offend you Bio-screw," Arrik grinned on the inside seeing Dwibb's eyes light up in rage form the comment before continuing, "but I am not going to die over some plant that we have no business in. My legacy will live on longer than this," Arrik leapt a few feet to get down further down the mountainside after the remark.

"Tree bookah, not plant," Dwibb corrected before jumping himself.

"I also have to interject here. You mean the very same thing the Sylvari come from?" Rylon waved his hand and summoned a couple lowly bone minions, coming out of the mountain's side where he stood as he beckoned.

"Seed. The very -seed- it comes from. And yes I do Rylon, why?" Dwibb asked avoiding eye contact with Arrik, unable to endure anymore verbal torture Arrik might spew. He watched Rylon use his minions as stepping stones to avoid jumping and avoid any way possible something may soil his robes.

"Well, wait a moment. Are you looking for a seed or a tablet?" Rylon asked now on the ground. He snapped his fingers and the minions he enthralled now fell to the ground lacking any life.

"Both." Dwibb stated shaking his head at the necromancer. Dwibb started to become finicky. He just wanted to keep going.

"Both? I'm confused here," Rylon said standing close to the Asura having gotten away from the majority of the natural hindrances.

"I bet the tablet tells of a seed or shows its location. Right Dwibb?" Arrik looked all too done with the Asura who merely nodded at Arrik's statement.

"If you say there's another seed and it's planted correctly, we'll have even more lettuce-heads out there. Why do you want that?" Rylon asked with a hint of the typical human racism.

"Because Rylon, I will have created these new Sylvari… and…" Dwibb turned with his upper body and head with eyes closed, preparing himself for his ultimate, profound words that will only exacerbate his ego and head appropriately, "They will be different Sylvari. At least that's what the tablet entailed."

"Different? How? Like made from spinach instead?" Rylon tried with humor, but now looked confused.

Arrik hefted his maul back onto his shoulder in wait for the Asura to answer Rylon. He was not moving forward until the Asura gave good reason.

"The tablet I am searching for in the ruins tells not only of the Great Pale Tree and its seed, but other trees as well. Other seeds to be exact. There were many seeds, all of unknown origin, even to the tablet inscribers. Ventarri knew of the many seeds, as did Ronan, the original soldier that found the 'seed' in the cave. There were many, about four to five from my understanding, though I could be wrong. There could be more. I've been around the world searching for said seeds, but fail to find anything other than an already growing tree or more Sylvari."

"There's more Sylvari out there?!" Rylon shout-asked Dwibb in disbelief.

"Yes. There are. It's funny as all of them have subtle differences, but they are differences nonetheless. Even the most recent encounter with another Sylvari from another tree proved this, and it wasn't even my observation."

"Wait, others have run into these new Sylvari?" Arrik asked now confirming he was in fact getting into something more than he should be.

"Yes bookah. The Sylvari you know of from the Pale Tree recently ran into another by the name of Malyck, who was from a Great Tree to the west."

Arrik looked surprised as Rylon stood shaking his head while picking at nothing on his robes, mere molecules of dirt if anything.

"But I have seen many new Sylvari, it's nothing new pink skins. You think with so many seeds that only The Grove and its Sylvari we know of are the only plant people occupying the planet? Highly unlikely," Dwibb said huffing with pity and his head slightly tilted upward, "The location of the last seed was false. I went to Elona, as the tablet mapped it out to be there, yet I did not manage to find this Dark Seed it told of. Instead I found nothing but wandering centaur, sand folk, and odd creatures."

"Dark Seed? Why does that sound bad?" Rylon asked aloud while averting his gaze to Arrik for proper equivalent response.

"Because it probably is bad," Arrik paralleled with Rylon in both gawk and worry. "So, you have us out looking for a Dark Seed? Maybe even some Dark Tree with Dark Sylvari? Sounds dangerous and like a gold increase is in order."

"No Soulclaw. There is no danger here. I came here alone the last time and had no troubles, just managed to look over the ancient biology of the seeds. They didn't have the technology we have now nor the brilliant Asura minds," Dwibb bloated with emphasis, "but they showed enough for me to make out the general idea of the seeds and their locations. I've been trying to locate this last seed but with no findings. I cannot find it at all and I am unsure why. I just need another look at the tablet because I believe now it was a wild chase the tablet sent me on and the seed is in the ruins itself," Dwibb said tapping his foot, anxious to get a move on.

"Then why hire us if there is no danger? Why do you even want the seed if it will produce another race? You sound like your trying to be one of the human gods," Arrik mentioned with a brow raised.

"I want the seed because it is a Bioengineers dream! I can create life, watch it grow, but that's essentially all I can do. Never before could one create life, watch it grow -and- prosper without help. Prosper and be in sound mind with emotions, thoughts… Ah, oh my would it be marvelous!" Dwibb smiled in the thought gleefully and then looked back to the Norn with the same anger from before. "I brought you along because these are different times, I-" Dwibb started but as his eyes widened, he continued, "Because of those!" Dwibb shouted pointing at giant spiders descending the tree behind Arrik.

Arrik whipped around with maul readied and saw the typical Maguuma spiders draping down their silken strands of web to the ground upside down. The spiders tilted to land accordingly with the ground before skittering at the three humanoids.

Arrik shouted at first to the spiders as a blue aura began to surround his form violently, to perhaps scare them off. The bright blue aura outlined itself in the form of a bear and extended about three feet from his body in all directions, taking the full shape of the animal and appropriately asserting Arrik's surname of Soulclaw. The eyes of both the spirit bear and Arrik glowed much more intensely in the same hue. A second after, a maul began to form at Arrik's side with the same color and lucidity of the aura and after yet another second, the maul looked whole yet transparent, but either way it was ready for battle. The maul hovered as if held by an invisible warrior or itself sentient. The action as a whole didn't slow the spiders one bit, but Arrik was more than ready now.

"Bookah! Stop playing around and kill them! I'll not be alive to see my discovery if I'm injected with venom!" Dwibb shouted before coming to a realization. "Wait! Try and not smash their fang or their guts too much Norn, I want them for poisons and study."

Arrik shook his head before plummeting his maul down at the first spider. The maul hit the spider directly, but connected with the ground beneath the spider. A splat and cracking sound trembled through their ears. Arrik smiled and heaved up his maul for the next two.

"Ach! My robes! Rylon said in horror glaring at the fragments of internals from the squished spider randomly adorning his once unspoiled robes. He had been preparing a spell to attack the spiders before the splat interrupted his mindset.

Dwibb wiped some away from his face before speaking, "Soulclaw, I must remember to teach you elegance in fighting."

"Elegance?" Arrik asked before missing with a swing to the spider. It went to attack Arrik, but the conjured maul hit the spider before even coming close to Arrik, sending it into the tree with a new dent in the abdomen of it. "There is no elegance in fighting, it's merely a surviving technique. If you want to prance around and kill things, I'd suggest you take up dancing little one… Ha!" Arrik said chuckling to himself while bum-rushing the last spider off its feet from a near perfect swing.

Dwibb slung the gunk off his face in an annoyed manor hearing Arrik's words. He looked up to retort to the Norn but as he did, he saw a grin on Arrik's façade as he brought his maul down on the squabbling spider. Another wave of spider innards spewed his way, again coating not only his face, but now in his hair and some of his leather armor. Arrik's actions real intent fulfilled with a grin and light chuckling.

"Bookah Norn!" Dwibb shouted at the top of his lungs.

Arrik laughed quite hard at the sight, Rylon's new predicament of a newly colored robe due to spider insides not helping Arrik rest from laughing in the least.

"Elegance is for certain arts and techniques," Arrik spoke while catching his breath, "however there is skill and proper technique in fighting. Aim is good too," Arrik said again laughing at the two.

The two smelling of spider guts managed to get most of it off before they decided to continue. Rylon and Dwibb shared a new hatred for their Norn companion, who only happily made the way to the ruins.

' ` '

The two rows of pillars coated in vines and leaves almost welcomed the three to the ruins. The sunken in, uneven road ridden with fractures, missing chunks, and broken columns across it was paved not in stone, but healthy green plants, fungus, and an immense amount of weeds that had long since made a home between the cracks. The mountain upward in all directions almost made it appear the group was trapped. A pool of stagnant water was off to the deeper part of the pit-like area of the ruins.

"Yes. This is the place, but I don't remember it being so overrun with all this," Dwibb said looking over the green covered ruins. The miscellaneous trees and nature surrounding the actual ruins almost formed a pattern as even two enlarged leaves covered the entrance of the ruins almost purposely acting as doors over the already worn and wooden doors.

"Well, this can be fixed… unlike my robes," Rylon said disgusted the spider innards tarnished his robes ever so cruelly. He just wanted to get home to put on a new wardrobe, caring little for the mission at hand.

"It can be fixed…" Arrik said twitching a little bit. He held his hand out as a blue flame began to emerge from his hand. "I can engulf the area in holy flame."

"No!" Dwibb said getting in front of Arrik, as if his small stature would be a suitable prevention between the Norn and the plants. "Let me deal with them. I don't want you ruining any chance at us finding the seed. Besides, I don't want you harming these old plants."

"And yet you're fine with the trees and brush I cut and mauled through before?" Arrik wondered of the Bioengineer's new appreciation of the plants.

"Yes. Those are your everyday plants that you mangled. These… they appear to be protecting the ruins, or perhaps the seed within. These I must have and study. They could be conscious plants with purpose…" Dwibb said pulling out an elongated gun.

"Like the Sylvari?" Rylon added looking over the gun.

The gun resembled a rifle with only a single barrel. Bottles of some kind lined each side of the back of the gun as tubes ran from the trigger area to the barrel.

"I guess. The Sylvari all appear to have a purpose, at least to themselves." Dwibb pushed buttons and tweaked parts of the gun, readying it.

"What is that thing?" Rylon asked wondering just where he pulled the big gun from. It looked to be just as tall as the Asura holding it if it were to be stood up from the handles to barrel end.

"This is my Seed-enizer. It's a nice gun," Dwibb said admiring his work, "that fires a compound me and my Krewe came up with."

"And what does the compound do?" Arrik asked concerned. He was always protective and liked to know everything he could about his surroundings, making sure those among him were safe, despite his feelings for them.

"It makes seeds of course," Dwibb said firing at the entrance of the ruins.

The gun shot out a projectile that broke upon pillar in which Dwibb shot it. The pillar toppled over from the shot, but the amount of vines around it caught it and prevented it from falling further. A light green and yellow gas erupted from the shot canister and spread out, dispersing among the front ruins and then some. It looked to have no effect other than color the air for minutes until fully dispersed.

"Those are quite some seeds," Arrik commented sarcastically seeing the lack of results.

"So impatient bookah Norn," Dwibb lowered his gun and smiled.

"I thought time was precious?" Arrik asked grinning, watching Dwibb's smile turn more serious and peeved. Dwibb was going to comment, but his smile returned seeing the leaves, vines and trees around the ruins shrink.

"See," Dwibb commented resting the gun on his shoulder.

The plant life appeared to be receding into themselves, collecting at their roots. After some time, the ruins were cleared and small flickers of light resembling lightning bugs could be seen shining from the ground randomly in a bright yellow. Some of the lights shown through the topsoil.

"What are those little lights?" Rylon asked looking at the assortment of them. He saw one only a few feet in front of him and went to pick it up.

"Don't! Those are the seeds of these plants. The compound I created causes them to glow when they are in their seedling form," Dwibb said running over to Rylon picking up the seed and placing it in a small sack.

"Well short stuff, you got the job done," Arrick complimented amazed at the product of the Asura mind.

The plants now gone revealed the ruins as a whole. Smaller columns, only a few inches taller than Arrik lead to the main entrance to the ruins and around the ancient stone commode. The main chamber of the ruins looked in pretty good shape on the outside, to Arrik anyways. He went to take a better look.

"These ruins… they look Orrian," Rylon noticed seeing little designs and carvings that reminded him of Orr.

"Orr? That's not impossible I suppose, it isn't all that far away, though it might have been quite the trek," Dwibb commented still picking up the little yellow lights.

"And look over there," Arrik said pointing with a small half grin.

A cave still partially covered by vines stood out about seven yards from the ruins to the right that the brush had covered before Dwibb's gun.

"By the mysteries of alchemy… I did not notice that before! Good eyes again Soulclaw!" Dwibb shouted running over to it. Rylon subtly made his way to a small glowing yellow seed nearby and picked one up out of spite towards the little Asura. He looked it over quick before placing it in his tailored sack at his side without the Norn or Asura noticing.

Arrik didn't move. Arrik was too busy overlooking the ruins, making sure no ancient traps or dangers may be hidden from the outside. He walked around slightly to look over the entirety while Rylon joined Dwibb at the cave.

"By death, Grenth! Those are Sylvari remains!" Rylon shouted bending over at the three withered bodies before the cave mouth.

Dwibb ran out from the small cave, disappointed no seeds were inside, but happy to hear someone shout something interesting. "Human… you're right. They are Sylvari," Dwibb said bending over with Rylon, "though even by their withered state they appear to be different if only slightly." Dwibb said noticing differences in their anatomy.

"I can use these…" Rylon said grinning. He wriggled his fingers as an unholy green impression formed in and around his palms.

"No!" Dwibb shouted as Rylon stopped.

"What now…" Rylon asked irked. He hadn't yet noticed his robe was snagged on a branch too far away to be converted to a seed.

"Let me just," Dwibb started without finishing while taking some of the Sylvari remains. He ripped off parts of their arms and abdomen, "Ok, you can have them."

"Alright." Rylon again casted his spell and within seconds, the remains began to move about. The three Sylvari bodies began to illuminate in the same unholy radiance while squirming and contorting about, once again appearing alive. They managed to stand to their feet and looked ready for commands.

"They feel off. I wonder how old these remains are," Rylon noted with a hand at his three new cohorts.

"I'd say they can't be too old, as Sylvari remains usually return to the earth within weeks of their demise, but these do appear different. Their withering cycle is complete, but they are not completely withered away. This is fascinating."

Dwibb looked them over more acutely now that they stood sluggish and full of unlife thanks to Rylon's necromancy.

"Hey," shouted Arrik from the ruin walls, "These ruins aren't too big, only about the size of a room. A small room at best. How is this important?"

Dwibb looked over to Arrik. "Yes, I know. The tablet is in there on a pedestal and it's extremely important Soulclaw."

"Orrian's and their elaborate ways would only make a single room for this?" Arrik asked the Asura from the ruins. "That don't make sense." He murmured under his breath while looking over the same spots he's been gazing at in wonder.

"Come on Rylon, bring your new bio-contraptions."

Dwibb and Rylon made their way to the ruin doors where Arrik stood at a loss.

"Ok Arrik, open the doors," Dwibb ordered while approaching him.

"To be honest, the doors look as if they were just placed here. They are off the hinges." Arrik walked up to the door in his curiosity and pushed it a little. The door swayed, but did not fully fall. It just proved his point that they were not on the hinges. "See."

"Well, I don't care what way the door is you dim bookah! Push them over, pull them down, whatever you want!" Dwibb was impatient and it showed, "Just get them out of my way!"

Arrik smiled and took hold of the door by its ends. It took most of his arms length to take hold and yanked up, heaving it in the air over his head. Parts of the stone around where the door was crumbled to the ground. Arrik threw the door aside and peered in. "Uh, you don't need both doors off, do you?" he asked Dwibb.

"No. We can go in," Dwibb nodded with a happy face, "Come on pink skins, lets go."

The three walked in, Rylon with his three risen.

Inside resembled a small church of sorts, only without the pews. The floor littered with old stones and collapsed roofing with green weeds and colorful flowers that the rain and sunshine managed to hit from the holes in the roof. Elaborate gold and rare stone lined the walls in designs and miscellaneous treasures. There were no windows, but old candlesticks stood at the four corners and on each side of the altar. Their wax since melted to the ground beneath the long four feet candle sticks. The altar in the middle of the room held the tablet Dwibb spoke of.

"Ah ha! There it is! At last!" Dwibb said running to the tablet.

"Must have been in a hurry to write the tablet…" Arrik mentioned seeing the tool and stone used to carve the tablet right next to it.

"Well, at least the mission pays off," Rylon said with an evil grin and half opened eyes while glaring eagerly at the gold treasures.

"Stop Rylon," Arrik shouted, "They are more than likely trapped."

"Trapped? They look free to take to me…" Rylon added knowing exactly what Arrik meant, despite his asinine comment.

"Rylon. I don't want you to doom us all by your selfish indulgences. They are probably rigged to set off something," Arrik said with dim glare to the human.

"I don't believe they are Arrik. There are no bodies of thieves trying to steal the treasures or even any signs of traps." Rylon wanted to yank up at least the gold statue of a tree, but felt he had to hesitate for Arrik's sake.

"Trust me. Even the Orrian's prepared their belongings from thieves. I highly doubt these useless items aren't trapped Rylon. Just leave them be. Please, by the Bear herself, just please."

"Useless? They are precious!" Rylon said ignoring Arrik's plea, "I can sell these for some gold," Rylon then looked over and saw a set of gold statues lined and trimmed with silver of the six gods many humans worshipped. Each statue had a single gem at the base of each statue resembling the god appropriately with color and shape. "And those! I can even get platinum for those!" Rylon said walking over to the small statues. The one of Grenth caused his inner kleptomaniac to go wild. All he wanted was to snatch it up and place it on his mantle in his home.

"Money is worthless, especially from ruins," Arrik tried knowing full well items of old are in fact valuable, "Sure it buys goods and necessities, but in the long run, that's not what it's all about." Arrik looked up noticing loose stones overhead now knowing he was right all along. "Surviving and carrying on your legacy for generations is what you should be concerned of. Or even doing something to benefit all of Tyria." Arrik pointed up at the stones with a haughty look, but Rylon wasn't paying attention.

"You Norn always looking to the past," Rylon said smugly with disgust. His values and sights aligned differently. "Besides, I need gold for a new robe thanks to -you-," Rylon implemented to Arrik while waving his hand. A green glow encompassed his hand as one of his new servants slumped over to the Grenth statue. Rylon commanded his minion to pick it up, in case it was trapped. Once it was picked up, a clicking sound was heard, which turned into a snap.

"Fool!" Arrik shouted swinging his maul upward, ready for what trap may be set off. A stone, about the size of the Norn's torso, had been dropped at the snap. It fell atop the risen minion and flattened him out; the Grenth statue falling to the ground, yet oddly landing the right way up, as if weighted. After the immense stone crushed the undead servant, it rolled around slightly.

"I-I'm sorry," Rylon started while hunkering over, peering up for more.

"Next time listen to my instincts instead of your foolish greed human," Arrik said with a maddened face. He looked up seeing many stones being held up, each held in place by an old apparatus. Arrik shook his head and relaxed a little before hearing Dwibb.

"Bookah's! Quiet down and stop making a ruckus! I'm trying to decipher this tablet!" Dwibb screamed to the two frustrated the tablet didn't give anything new for him to draw from.

After the scream they began to hear a crackling and little pebbles falling from the roof. Arrik wondered how the roof was even still together hearing the sounds.

"Dwibb! Move away from the stones!" Arrik shouted. Dwibb looked up and aligned himself where no stones were. Arrik jerked Rylon to him and stood still, standing over the small human, bracing for a possible impact. Rylon twitched at the action, causing his minions to sprawl to the corners of the room.

A few seconds passed as the crackling and creaking stopped.

"Hmm. That proved-" Dwibb started before all the stones fell from the ceiling. Each boulder hit the ground with a boom and cracked the ground beneath it, rolling around after the fall. During the falling chaos, parts of the roof too collapsed, plunging towards the three. From an outside view, it looked as if the mission was over.

"Everyone alright?" Arrik shouted trying to look past the dust after everything settled. He hefted pieces away with ease, glad the roof was made lightly.

"I'm fine big one," Dwibb grunted, exasperated his work was hindered while squirming through some rubble.

"Hey, what was that noise?" Rylon asked shaking his head. He was thankful the Norn was two times his size to cover him from the collapsing roof.

"What noise?" Dwibb asked disgruntled by the events that had taken place.

"That breaking noise before the roof fell in on us. I heard something like glass or-" Rylon started before Dwibb interrupted.

"It might be that…" Dwibb added now looking past the tablet.

A large puncture in the ground now showed a whole new layer to the ruins. One of the giant rocks had fallen through a secret set of doors build onto the ground behind the altar. Right from the hole was stairs, leading to something, but what was unknown with the darkness beneath.

"Rylon… I have never been happier that someone nearly ended my life with their idiocy," Dwibb said with a joyous, dusty face. He leapt down from atop the alter by the tablet he was ready to reexamine; now ready to examine the new find.

"Thanks, I suppose…" Rylon said making his way over the fallen roofing to the new hole in the ruined floor. His two remaining servants followed.

"You two should wait, I'm betting there are more traps," Arrik said with haste, quickly making his way to the hole.

The three stood over the hole staring into the abyss of black beyond the stairs. Arrik noticed something swaying above the part of the stairs by the edge of where his vision stopped.

"The rock that smashed through actually might have gotten rid of our troubles," Arrik said unknowing that his words was the approval for the eager two to begin descending. "Hey, wait! Be careful, at least-"

"Hush bookah. Just come along and protect us," Dwibb commented bringing out a small glyphic torch. The insides of the torch almost appeared fake, or at least the fire fragmented or 'engineered'.

As soon as the light flowed throughout the new area, it showed the stairs went down pretty far down. Farther than the light could shine.

"This might be a while, huh?" Rylon asked seeing this.

The five made their way down the steps at a fairly decent pace, save the two undead. Despite their legs being tired from the journey prior getting to the ruins, the adventurous three strode down the steps eager to see what the darkness had in store for them at the end of the staircase. After much silence, finally the Asura spoke seeing a floor.

"Ah, I thought it'd never end." Dwibb leapt down the last couple steps and peered as best he could around the room. It was no bigger than the staircase, but went on longer.

"More walking… wonderful," Rylon said sighing, magically tugging his minions closer to him.

"Yes, but let me lead this impulse adventure," Arrik said making his way to the front, "Rylon, stay at our rear with your new friends."

"I'm already here," Rylon said confused knowing Arrik knew this.

"Good. An overachiever." Arrik held his maul out and up slightly, as if he too held a torch. After a few seconds, the maul lit a majority of the ancient corridor as the maul head itself became engulfed in holy blue flame.

"Hey, my torch could have sufficed…" Dwibb commented being offended of Arrik's action.

"Could have, but doesn't. Now put it away and arm yourselves." Arrik knew there was no way of turning back now, this especially since Dwibb's sought after seed might be within this new cellar. Arrik sighed and could hear the Great Spirit whispering his name and marched onward.

"Arm ourselves? For what?" Dwibb asked withdrawing two daggers. They were like short swords to the Asura.

"Incase we run into trouble of course. Now who's this 'dim booka' you speak about a lot," Arrik responded.

"It's -bookah-, thank you, and we need not arm ourselves for darkness. There is nothing here that can harm us Soulclaw."

"And you know this how?" argued Arrik wondering how the Asura could be so smart, yet so ill prepared for real world scenarios.

"I just do. My seed is somewhere in here and that is all."

"Well Dwibb, you might be right on that," Arrik said now walking over grass, weeds and miscellaneous flora from the stone they walked.

"This is most interesting," Dwibb said looking down, "How does this grow without sunlight?"

"Might it be because they are darker colored?" Rylon added noticing the nature growing was not the usual green, or even close for that matter.

"You know, you might be right human…" Dwibb added caressing a dark pedaled flower. Even the middle a dark amber from the yellow it should be.

"The grass and stuff are black too. That's weird." Arrik did not know his plant life, but at least knew if it grew from the ground, most of it should be green. Not this black color everything was.

"I must have this flower," Dwibb said taking out a small vial. He dripped a little on the flower, in which began to recede in on itself into a seed. Dwibb collected it and smiled. "Onward Soulclaw!"

Arrik huffed and kept going. This only lasted several feet before the walls began to go outward into a bigger chamber.

"Now we're talking!" Dwibb mumbled seeing a bigger room.

The room they were now in was filled with paralleled pillars everywhere. Every couple of feet a pillar from the floor extended to the top of the ceiling. Each pillar had a torch to the side.

"Now we can see!" Dwibb said sheathing his daggers and taking back out the torch. He approached the one and extended as high as his arm could with his mechanical flame only to realize he couldn't reach the torches on the pillar in which he stood.

"Soulclaw. Light these," he said embarrassed at his tallness.

"Of course…" Arrik said with a grin. He whirled his maul around slightly as the blue flame it put off followed. Arrik held out his other hand with another blue flame now extending from the palm. He mumbled something to himself and after a few more seconds a blue flame immolated his body and armor and spread outward in a seven foot blast radius. As the flame spread, it lit each torch that it hit.

"Bookah!" Dwibb shouted putting out the fire atop his head.

'Hey, you said to light them," Arrik responded with a chuckle.

"What is that?" Rylon asked looking out where the new torches shown. He was hitting his minions he had used as shields from the fire and was trying to put out the flames on the two undead while trying to figure out what he was looking at.

The other two looked to see a large type of globular peapod on the ground. It was a black color with dark greens, yellows, and red. A stem attached from it extended to an unusual spiked oval-like ball from atop the stone table it rested.

"No!" shouted Dwibb running up to the pod. "The seed has sprouted… but it looks to have tried to flower, but is cracked or broken." Dwibb overlooked the seed and plant that came from it. He caressed it looking at each detail.

"All for nothing I guess. Hmph. Figures," Arrik said heaving his maul atop his shoulder.

"No Soulclaw. This pod has something in it. I must see what is in it." Dwibb pulled out both daggers, ready to cut into the peapod.

"Shouldn't we not do that?" Rylon offered, "What if a Sylvari is inside?"

Dwibb froze in place and merely looked over to the human as if he was offering sound advice in a dire situation. "Rylon, you might be right. If these are of the same seeds, there might just be a Sylvari or some kind of new life form like it inside. This might not be the tree forming." Dwibb looked the pod over in a new light. It was about the size and looked as if it could house a normal humanoid.

"Well, cut the thing open, let's see." Arrik said, just wanting to get back to the Shiverpeaks.

"I will Norn, calm it! I must be exact and careful," Dwibb said wielding both his daggers.

Dwibb looked around in need of a stool of sorts, to make up for his lacking height. He saw nothing and became frustrated.

"Soulclaw!" Dwibb shouted as if the Norn wasn't right near him, "Go find me a stone slab or block somewhere. I need it to stand on if I am to do this carefully."

"Uh, alright," Arrik said with no arguments. He wanted away from the weird pod. Arrik knew something was inside, but even newly created saplings from the Grove aren't dangerous. He as perfectly fine with wandering off in search a large stone. Arrik latched his maul to his back as the head stayed lit up. Though the flame fiercely flickered and scorched from the maul so close to his head, he walked off unfazed. The holy flame would not burn its creator.

"Good. The tall bookah is gone. Put to good use." Dwibb looked over the pod and figured out where he should start.

"Hey, speaking of put to good use. Let me," Rylon said waving his hand to Dwibb. The two minions went to Dwibb. Dwibb looked nervous, unsure if Rylon had good intentions or not, but thankful he had two daggers wielded. After they reached Dwibb, the first laid on the ground as the other laid across the other right next to the pod, creating a type of step for the Asura.

"Would you look at that!" Dwibb shouted with glee. He hopped up the undead steps and smiled wide. "Thanks Rylon. I might just give you extra once we return. You've been quite helpful unlike that dumb Norn."

"Oh, thank you Dwibb. I'd like that."

"No problem human," Dwibb started as he placed a dagger at the edge of where he wanted to cut, "I'll even let you take that Grenth statue. I saw how you looked at it. I was looking at the gear cog in gold myself." He began cutting, the pod wall slicing away like butter upon a heated blade.

"I say let's take what we want!" Rylon exclaimed eagerly, "That dumb Norn doesn't know that Tyria runs on gold! If you don't have gold, you can't have what you want in this world."

"I agree human. We should just make him carry it all too," Dwibb said.

The two shared a laugh. After Dwibb continued cutting the pod. After some minutes passed, the pod began to break away by itself, as if Dwibb had been cutting along a dotted line. The front of it opened to reveal a body within.

"By the Infinite Alchemy…" Dwibb said backing away as much as standing on two corpses would allow.

The body within a fully grown female Sylvari, however its make up different. The leaves, skin, and even the hair ebon in hue. Everything about the Sylvari black. Nothing about it any other color at all. The skin of it looked more humanoid and not near as leaf-like, though leaves were attached to it randomly like a Sylvari. The breasts, of which Rylon starred at, were a perfect bosom, only pitch black. The most disturbing thing about it was there was no face to the Sylvari. The face was nothing but a chaotic, swirling crater of darkness and shadows. No eyes. No mouth. No nose. Nothing but the void of clashing shadows.

"What is it?" Rylon asked trying desperately to look away from the private parts of the being before him.

"I do not know. It is a new creation!" Dwibb bellowed with thrill. He looked over every detail and wondered what he should call the dark Sylvari.

"Rylon, what would you name such a magnificent piece?" Dwibb asked elegantly with a half grin.

"Name? I have no clue. I'll leave that to you." Again Rylon found himself looking over the inappropriate areas of the creature. He himself was just a creature of habit and could not help himself.

"Ew. Human," Dwibb said noticing Rylon's gaze, "I'll admit she's quite well endowed, but no human. No."

The rest of the time Dwibb studied and finished his examination was silent, as Rylon was embarrassed and Dwibb disgusted slightly. After a few minutes, Dwibb stood up fully.

"My word! I can save the seed!" Dwibb smiled in glee.

"How?" Rylon asked looking over the pod.

"I can cut the pod free of the seed and use my formula to cause it to go back into the seed. It's a win-win for me!" Dwibb danced about atop the two undead Sylvari.

"Alright then," Rylon added chuckling at the dancing Asura.

"Ok. I will need your help though human. Take the daggers and cut the stem of the pod when I tell you to. I'll apply the formula right after."

"Ok."

Rylon got the daggers from Dwibb and approached the stem. He placed a dagger where he wanted to cut and realized he had two. Rylon shrugged his shoulders and placed the other dagger right next to it, ready to make a scissor-like cut when Dwibb said to.

"Ok. Good. That looks good Rylon," Dwibb said making sure Rylon was positioned correctly. He leapt from the pod to the stone slab where the seed was, making sure to be careful. "I'll apply the formula right here at the base, so when you cut, it will withdraw into itself before it can tell it was cut."

"Ok, well I'm ready here," Rylon commented holding the daggers.

Dwibb smiled. "Now!"

Rylon cut, separating the pod from the seed. Right as Rylon cut, Dwibb dripped the formula onto the stalk. The remaining part of the stem returned into itself as the pod laid dormant. Glowing brightly, Dwibb felt his heart skip a beat at the perfection that just occurred.

"Yes!" Dwibb shouted, but as soon as he howled in happy vigor, the Sylvari within screamed in agony, causing Dwibb to fall from the two undead. The top risen Sylvari fell onto Dwibb in the action as Rylon just backed up scared of the scream.

The black Sylvari sat up from her pod with all kinds of blackened tendrils still clutching to her. She moved about chaotically in pain and crawled out of the pod, severing the roots still into her.

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down lady!" Rylon said, unsure what to do or say.

The black Sylvari whipped its faceless head around to the human and stood up, still wobbly. "Sha-Tha-Lia" she emoted to them.

"What?" He retorted while raising his arms in the air shrugging. The action showed the daggers in his hands. "That your name?"

The female plant being sprung up seeing the daggers and extended a hand to Rylon. Blackness erupted from her hand and enveloped the ground around Rylon. The dark strands twisted and coursed in circles around Rylon's shadow on the ground from the torches. With each second that passed, Rylon's body became thinner and looked more and more dire. Rylon's body finally fell to the ground entirely emaciated beneath the once pristine robes. His skin now was completely black with dark and dusty smoke flowing from his eye sockets. The two undead Sylvari he had summoned fell dormant and back into the death slumber.

"Rylon! No!" Dwibb shouted while starring at the new Sylvari.

"Sha-Tha-Lia," the Sylvari spoke again in the unknown tongue as it's face and features finally became evident, as if it sucked essence from Rylon's shadow and channeled it into herself to make these new features.

"I, uh, don't know what you mean Shalia" Dwibb tried, not knowing exactly what she said. He tried to get up while still pinned under the corpse.

Shathalia, newly deemed, leapt up to where Rylon's body was and grabbed the daggers. She then cleaved right through Dwibb's neck and leapt back to where she was originally. She stretched some and stopped suddenly. Shathalia looked to Dwibb's body and toyed with her fingers. After a couple seconds, Dwibb's headless body began to rise and take form, using Rylon's necromancy to raise his colleague.

"No!" Arrik said hurling the boulder he had found from it's initial fall into the dark chamber at the new dark Sylvari.

Shathalia dodged it easily and went to strike, but before she could, the light emanating from Arrik shown all too bright for her black eyes. She screamed in terror, causing Arrik to hold his head away with his other hand readied with the maul. The scream itself caused all the lights to go out save the bright fiery light from Arrik.


	2. Chapter 2

2

"Still no one coming?" the charr huffed through sharp teeth, "Some recruitment for the Vanguard, William." The charr waved his hand in exasperation while wearing heavy plate. The other hand rested on his greatsword he held vertically to the ground.

The bar sat fairly empty atop its wooden stilts, despite being one of the few bars in Lion's Arch. The Crow's Nest Tavern was home to some, but most Lion's Arch visitors, customers, and alcoholics preferred the bars not requiring so many winding stairs to ascend; the downward decent might prove fatal for those inebriated in anyway.

"Hey, not my idea Skarr. Niv thinks we need more people. And yeah, I know. You'd think we'd at least get some of the wayward wanderers who aimlessly walk around Tyria with nowhere to go," the human said agreeing with a slight headshake of indignity. He wore the same degree of heavy armor as the charr, but with lighter colors of both black and white, gold, and blue hints unlike Skarr's Blood Legion colors. "This place is worse than the Ascalon ruins, at least there they got ghosts…" William joked.

The only ones that visited this tavern were travelers wandering off and finding the place by accident, people who like the bar for its uniqueness and/or service, or the usual inhabitants looking only to forget about their life stresses, of which consisted of the usual martial or love issues, false dreams of typical hero wannabes, or of a life mislead by wrong choices.

It wasn't exactly the perfect place to hold recruiting interviews, especially group ones with the bar not being bigger, however this was where the Tyria Vanguard held today's interviews for trying to collect more skilled persons into their guild; a guild dedicated to the betterment of all life on Tyria by whatever means necessary.

"No! Not together you rock-brain assistants! One and then the other, you can't fit through the doorway together!" a small voice cried out from the entrance.

Two golems walked in carrying signs, posts, banners, and miscellaneous paperwork. They were of the typical build, Mark 34-1DA, but with some added features and small differences. The usual light blue brightness emanating from the golems were instead a nice green. The silver color of the golems, like its skin, was instead a grey-like color with a rocky texture to the eye, although smooth. Golden strips decorated and outlined them finishing the unique golems made from what appeared to be rock. An Asura walked in afterwards followed by a smaller service golem, Mark 3E-5006, holding what looked to be the remnants of the Asura's lunch. The smaller golem too had the same design as the first two golems.

"Put all that in the corner guys," the male Asura ordered while wiping away sweat from his tan colored forehead. His hair was a deep brown, like that of the earth, and pulled up into a small bun reaching three inches upward from his head. Skin patterns in a pale green color shown from beneath the simple cultural leather he adorned. Little contraptions were affixed to his wardrobe here and there. A hand full of rocks floated in the vicinity of his torso and shoulders spinning nonchalantly.

The Asura peered around with his green eyes and they widened seeing the familiar faces. "Next time can we host this at a different place?" he asked as the bartender behind the corner shot him a rude glance, "I hate coming up all those stairs."

"You didn't even bring up anything, your golems did Grebb…" said a human leaning back in a chair from the other table beside Skarr and William. The human had a light fog-like color robe on with whirling patterns on it. The white-gray hair atop his head looked to be natural and not due to old age, as he was younger and not old.

"Quit complaining," snarled Skarr to Grebb, "It's good for your legs."

"My legs disagree Skarr," the Asura said to the Charr, "And Aerion, that's why I built them," he motioned to the golems, "To do my work for me." Grebb stretched and took a seat at the table with the other two. "Where's the rest? Niv? Dal? Hraf? Arrik? And where's the recruits even?"

"Not here yet obviously," a female Sylvari said from another table while petting her companion. She was dressed in leafy cultural armor, looking agile and ready for whatever came next.

"Amerial, I didn't see you there," Grebb said looking her over. Her pet appeared ferocious, but gentle at her touch as it sat next to her. Grebb waved to his golems for their return to him while still starring her pet, weary of its primal state.

The two golems walked over to Grebb and stood behind his chair. The smaller golem approached Grebb and offered up the plate of food. Grebb took it and smiled placing it on the table. He snapped his fingers and the small golem crawled under the table and bent over, contorting and moving its insides to better accommodate its 'foot-stool' mode that was programmed into it.

"Couldn't get grub here?" Skarr asked with a disgusted look. His deep amber eyes portrayed a lack of care unlike most for the food on the Asura's plate.

"Their food here isn't good. It's as if the Skritt's cook themselves to be served," The Asura began to chow down on his food. The glare from the bartender not but three yards away couldn't be more piercing.

"Looks like we'll need to find another place to do this next time," William said seeing the bartenders stare. He brushed his black-brown hair aside and shook his head.

"I'll never understand Asura etiquette…" Aerion joked chuckling to himself. His whitish blue eyes too pierced the Asura, hoping for an appropriate response or apology.

The Asura was oblivious, despite the tingling sensation of being watched.

A Sylvari walked in, male, with a fern wolf strolling in behind him. He waited at the doorway while staring into the ground in thought.

"Dalvyr! You're back," Amerial beamed seeing a fellow Sylvari guild mate.

"I am. And I brought company," said Dalvyr looking up from his stare. His plant skin pure white, as was everything about him actually. The leaf hair, the leather armor, and even his white eyes with a small black pupil. He wasn't known as Dalvyr the White in his guild for nothing.

"Company?" Amerial asked standing up. The longbow resting at her back now was more than evident from her stance.

"Recruits?" William asked.

"Yes. I gathered some ready for a new home," Dalvyr said moving to the side to let in five people. Two Sylvari and Three charr.

"Damn," Aerion mumbled seeing no human females.

Skarr stood up seeing three charr. It started a trend as all five Tyrian Vanguards stood up, even Grebb from his food.

Dalvyr walked in front of the newcomers. "Let me introduce them to you recruits. These are profound members of the Vanguard, and no not the Ebon vanguard. We've been around much longer," Dalvyr started before William interrupted.

"Longer than all of you plant-folk too," William readjusted to better accommodate the massive shield at his back and sword at his side.

"Yes, this is true William. We'll start with him," Dalvyr waved a hand to him, "William Ashbury. He is one of the Vanguard Officers, or what we call a Vanguardian. He is one of valor and honor. He will be more than glad to take a hit for you."

William nodded. "Eh, it's true. I'm a good guy, what can I say?" William smiled with all his human pride.

"Bloat much?" Skarr snickered. William just shot a glance, which Dalvyr noticed.

"Next is Skarr Goreseeker. His lust for blood only exemplifies his Legionnaire status of his warband and his status within the Blood Legion."

Skarr nodded, politely, and just stared intimidating, knowing these new five were eyeing him up, though Skarr too was eyeing up their weak points just in case. His crimson fur and black stripes stood on end from the surprising introduction. Skarr also tried to figure out the three charr, wondering of their origins.

"Next is the Great Asura, Geomancer Grebb, or as he prefers, Golementalist Grebb. He is a master with earth and rocks and is a master at golemancy, fusing earth and rock into new golem technology and workings. Too stubborn for a krewe, this genius works alone."

Grebb smiled. "You know how to make me sound as important as I am. I like that about you Dalvyr," Grebb said with a noble, arrogant stare.

"As important as the rocks you play with…" Aerion commented and chuckled. William and Skarr too joined in the laugh.

"Next," Dalvyr began with a louder voice interrupting whatever comeback Grebb had. Grebb now glared at Aerion as the bartender had glared at him. "We have Aeromancer Aerion. Master of the winds and lightning. He was born of the air, having tainted his skin and hair appropriately."

Aerion just gave Dalvyr a confused look. "Don't make me seem too important."

Amerial smiled, knowing she was next.

"And lastly here is Amerial. This Sylvari is from the Dawn Cycle and one with nature and the Grove, like me. Also like me, she too has a kindred spirit for the wild and the beasts they have to offer, for it is part of our Wyld Hunt."

"They act like brother and sister," William added to the recruits.

"Well, in a technical sense, we are," Amerial added.

"Yes. We are both born of the same cycle of the same day," Dalvyr added while smiling.

Skarr walked up to Dalvyr and looked over the recruits closer. He turned to Dalvyr. "Let's get this started. I want to see what these charr are all about."

"Remember Skarr," William began, "We're recruiting for the Tyria Vanguard, not the Gore Warband."

Skarr huffed at the comment.

The ones from the Tyria Vanguard sat behind a row of chairs around a giant rounded table, as if a committee. They sat in an arch around the recruits on the other side of the round table.

"Alright. We'll start with you," Skarr started pointing to one of the charr closest to him. This one hid underneath a cowl, hindering most of his face as horns protruded from holes in the hood, "What is your name?" Skarr leaned over some trying to look under the hood.

The charr sat up straight and withdrew his hood. "I am Bane Burntblood of the Ash Legion."

"Ash Legion. That explains the veil. Let me guess, you tried out for the Order too," Skarr determined aloud. Bane nodded.

"Skarr, this is an interview, not an interrogation," Dalvyr pointed out.

"Bane," Aerion asked sensing something within the new charr, "What are your skills?"

"I am a skilled elementalist and only wish to put my skills to good use," Bane adjusted himself in the seat, evidently uncomfortable by the board of interviewers.

"Elementalist, eh?" Grebb noted, "What element do you favor?"

Bane smiled and looked away some, as if ashamed. He spoke while looking away, "Fire. I favor towards fire, and yes I understand it looks bad on-"

"You're not Flame Legion, are you?" Skarr interrupted with significant demeanor backing both his troubled gaze and his tightened grasp on his greatsword hilt.

"No, I am not of the filthy Flame Legion, but evidently my father was," Bane corrected. He now felt relieved, as he is always asked this.

"Furhur of a Flame Legion? Explain Burntblood," Skarr said with zeal. He needed to figure out for himself the intentions of this Ash Legion charr. Skarr had a hunch he needed to settle.

"My father was in the ranks of Flame Legion, yes. He was a spy for them and then became fearful of them for some reason. He went rogue and found a mate and here I am. Not much to tell"

"I understand now. It runs in your blood. That's why you are drawn to the flame. Like a moth." Skarr still felt uneasy, but felt better now able to see Bane's hands. They weren't burnt and Flame-Legion-corrupted like their Flame Shamans are.

"Let's move on, shall we?" Dalvyr said only wanting to go through the rest of the recruits. "You're next. Sworn was it? If I remember correctly."

"Yes, I am Sworn. Sworn Bloodgaze. I am also part of the Ash Legion," spoke the ash-color furred charr. He too was wearing a hood, but it was reasting atop his head enough to be able to see his entre face.

"Even I could tell that," Aerion added seeing the theif-like attire swathed around the scrawny, yet muscular charr. The ebon fabrics wrapped around Sworn like a sheet as leather pieces covered the more important areas. The leather too were darkened. Gold outlined the attire randomly with a small Ash Legion broach towards the upper part of his shoulder.

"What can you offer us?" Dalvyr asked completely contempt.

"My blades. You can have my blades, be it my dagger blades, my claws, or the ones on my pistols," Sworn simply put. He sat back and nodded, done speaking.

"I like him," said a voice from behind the recruits. Each recruit turned and the Vanguardian's looked up.

"Nivrin!" Amerial said happily.

"Ah, Niv. Nice of you to finally join us," William remarked.

"I was busy. There was some debris left over from Zhaitan that needed to be taken care of." Nivrin walked up slow and steady, as if showing his status in the guild. An anonymous hood shielded his eyes from the rest as only a nose, mouth and a goatee surrounding the mouth could be seen. An extensive guild robe extended to his upper boots, all of which was exquisite leather. His attire too was a black and gold, with some accents of a bone color. A red crest sat in the middle of his chest held up by the ends of his hood. "I see you started without us. That's fine, as we've been listening."

"We?" Skarr asked.

A few seconds passed without a response from Nivrin. Suddenly, out of the corner of the room, some figures began to emerge from a cloaked shroud that had been erected, probably from Nivrin.

"There you all are!" Grebb shouted.

"Yeah, I had to borrow them to clean up the remains."

"Ah," Dalvyr spoke standing up, "Well now I must introduce you all."

"No," Nivrin said promptly, "I can. It is my fault we were late."

"Wait, you didn't need us for dealing with Zhaitan's mess?" Skarr asked almost offended.

"No. It was a very small mission. I count on you all for my bigger problems. Besides, they were just promoted to members not but weeks ago. I need to test them more." Nivrin withdrew his hood and shook his black hair, extending to his upper neck.

The rest walked out to reveal themselves.

"This is Hrafn Darkgaze," Nivrin motioned to the Norn walking up. He intimidated the recruits just from initial sight. Fancy Norn racial clothing draped down him with dark themed Raven-esc attire. Shoulders of Raven's heads, one like a mold of an actual raven and on the other shoulder a skull of one rested with its beak facing the ground. An actual raven sat peacefully atop the shoulder of the living mold. The wardrobe were hues of dark purple and black.

"Hello," spoke Hrafn.

"You're Norn?" asked Bane looking him over obscurely.

"I am. Are you not used to my appearance?" Hrafn asked walking out more in the light. His skin was completely black with tattoos in a royal purple. His hair was black and his eyes also a purple, but brighter and not as deep as the tattoos or the purple hues in his wardrobe. The greatsword at his back was now evident as well.

"You're one of those illusionists, aren't you?" Bane asked intrigued. He asked because of the purple and because this Norn was quite skinny compared to most. Frail or sickly even, though he appeared in perfect health.

"Perhaps I am." Hrafn smiled and nodded to Nivrin.

"Next," Nivrin moved on, "is Calla. Calla Nutori."

Calla walked out wearing heavy plate with axes at her waist. Draping red hair rooted from her head extending to her shoulders, only three inches longer than Nivrin's hair. Her armor seemed typical, but a rust-gold instead of the usual dulled silver. She merely nodded, not really wanting to talk.

"And lastly we have Revvo, Asura Manipulator."

Revvo hopped up and smiled. "Hello!" Revvo shouted. His leather a deep yellow with gray accents. A shield, pistol and other gadgets were at his sides in their Asura-built glory.

"And I am Nivrin," he introduced, "Seventy-seventh leader of the Tyria Vanguard."

"Seventy Seven?" asked the female charr recruit who would be next in line for interviewing.

"Yes. There were seventy-six before me, starting with the first, Xevas Ahl from Ascalon itself when it was still pristine before the searing. I am proud to say I can trace my lineage to the lost city."

There was silence for a few seconds, letting the information sink in to the recruits.

"So," William said chiming in, "What about you? Who are you? What can you offer us?" William asked the female charr.

"Kadra Smokespur of the Iron Legion and Smoke Warband," she responded standing up with poise. Her shield on her back was a giant enamored Iron Legion crest. A rifle across her back beneath the shield and two pistols at her hips. Her smoke colored leathers were trimmed in a cream color with accents of a deep iron blue covering her gray fur. A monocle covered her left eye for precision instead of lost sight.

"Alright. You speak with pride. I like that. Ready to call us home?"

"I am ready to belong to the guild, yes. I offer up my engineering and my explosives. I can craft guns, grenades, steam riddled contraptions, and many other things. I helped make the Ghostbore Rifle with my Iron team and have accomplished much in the name of engineering. You name it, I can try and build it or find a way to make it work."

The two Asura's in the room glared at the female charr at the comment, resenting her ability in comparison to the Asura mind. This was a racial gift, well, more of a snobbery racial personification rather than an actual gift.

"Good to know Kadra. Well met," William said nodding.

"Yes, nice to see a female charr of worthy skill," Skarr beckoned aloud.

"I see something else being built in the air," Aerion mumbled about Kadra and Skarr, looking to the side hoping Skarr didn't hear. He didn't, thankfully.

"What about you?" Amerial asked the deep-red robed Sylvari next in line.

The female Sylvari looked up slow from her stare into the tabletop. "Me?"

"Yes you sap-sister. Go ahead. Tell us about yourself." Amerial stared at her eagerly, awaiting her name and skills.

"I am Nikcoli of the Night Cycle," she said with her autumn-like skin coloring and crimson leafy hair.

"Nicoli?" William asked not pronouncing the name right.

"Nik-cole-eye," she corrected.

"Ah, my apology. Nikcoli then," William decided to be quiet now that he was embarrassed.

"Tell us, what skills can you lend us in our fight against Tyrian enemies?" Amerial asked stroking the tufts of fur at her pet beside her chair.

"I am what you would call a necromancer, as my skills are better associated with such a profession, like my associate here," Nikcoli motioned to the Sylvari yet to be interviewed.

Amerial looked to the ebon shaded one beside Nikcoli, "Ah, so you two know eachother?"

"Yes. We've travelled together for a some years now. It will be nice to have a place to call home, or at least an association period with something other than the dead we are inclined to."

"Well, we are happy to have you," Amerial said with a smile. She didn't want to ask of her skills, for the title of necromancer is good enough. Those details are more gruesome when explained.

"Two necromancers?" William scowled under his breath. Skarr heard.

"Makes up for the lack of any we have in the guild I suppose."

"Eh, I guess Skarr. They just give me the creeps," William responded to Skarr.

"That or they'll give you a plague or condition." The two shared a laugh, causing the rest to wonder what they were whispering about.

"Now what about you dear? What cycle of the day were you brought into this world? What is your name?" Dalvyr asked to interject the joking between friends.

The Sylvari didn't move, but too stared into the table from under her hood. The wide cabalist-like hood and robe veiled everything about her and by the manner of which she sat, no one was sure if she was even a Sylvari at all.

"The night cycle I came into this world from my pod…" spoke the Sylvari with a wispy voice.

"Very good. Now tell us, what is your name?" Dalvyr asked.

"Shathalia," she spoke with a hissy accent but loud and proud. A loud crashing was heard from the bathroom area right after she said her name.

"What was that?" asked Revvo backing away, being closest to the bathrooms.

"I don't know, but Arrik went to the bathroom long before even Grebb arrived," William added having completely forgotten about his fellow Norn companion. "Must have had some Dolyak legs or Griffon meat to be in there that long…"

Nivrin gawked towards the bathrooms with slit eyes. "Hrafn, go check on Arrik. Make sure all is well in there."

Hrafn nodded and walked towards the bathroom door, where it slammed open, nearly hitting Hrafn.

"No need. I am on my way out. I heard some of the interviews. What was the last ones name again?" Arrik asked calmly. His light blue and silver armor had been haphazardly put back on and trousers showing in their polka dotted splendor peeked from the chained leggings. His disposition was not evident, but his expression was, at least to Nivrin, who was trying to figure out Arrik's alarm.

"I-I forget now," Nivrin responded having forgot her name due to the commotion. He turned to the last Sylvari, "What did you say your name was?"

"Shathalia,"

Arrik took a deep breath and leered upward uncontrollably feeling the adrenaline course through him. The name resounded in his head, forcibly pulling memories from his adolescent past to the surface of his thinking at the sound. Arrik shivered and sighed slightly, but kept his cool however. "Ah. Alright I thought you said a different name. My apology."

Shathalia looked upward now, unknowingly showing her face, wondering why Arrik acted the way he did. The action caused the same usual reaction she was used to.

"Whoa," Dalvyr said seeing her face lit up from both the outside sun and the dim bar lighting.

"Shathalia, can you pull down your hood?" Nivrin asked fascinated seeing the little he could of her face.

"I can," she answered without moving. She looked to have no intentions on actually doing so.

Nivrin grinned. "Will you please pull down your hood?"

"Will you?" Shathalia retorted.

Nivrin's grin widened as gasps could be heard from some of the ones in the room at her questionable resistance to the leader's orders. He looked to Skarr, William, Grebb and Amerial briefly, "I like her already," Nivrin then turned to Shathalia, "I will if you will dear." Nivrin felt his eagerness grow to see this Sylvari's face. Thoughts played in his head of the possibilities her face could show once fully seen. Nivrin grabbed his hood and pulled it down, showing the rest of his sharp countenance to the recruits. "Your turn Shathalia.'

Shathalia did so and shook her head afterwards, shaking loose the blackened disheveled leaves atop her head, descending their full length from her head in hair-like form. The arrangement of leaves on her head showed a type of short style hair with draping bangs, but seemingly spiky with the way the leaves sprouted from her head. Her soft petal skin shone completely black, just like her entire attire, leaving no other colors to interfere with the dark theme. The gasps and coughing only began when everyone in the room realized her most distinguished, yet frightening feature. Her eyes.

"Shathalia… your eyes, they-"

"What of them?' she interrupted Dalvyr offended as usual when someone mentions this, "They are but orbs I view out of. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not care they are black unlike everyone else's. As long as I can see, does it matter?"

"Well, no, it doesn't just-" Dalvyr tried before Nivrin interrupted.

"Are you completely obsidian in color?" Nivrin asked starring at her.

"I am. I was born this way… I was born of shadow." She sat upright and looked around at the many eyes judging her, deeming her something evil. She felt something inside building up seeing all the condemnatory starring; something else rising along the anxiousness collecting within her body.

"You… you're like my complete opposite," Dalvyr said in complete bewilderment. He could not help but wonder things aloud before anyone else could say them. "What cycle were you sprouted from again?"

"The Cycle of the Night," she responded taking a deep breath.

"Fitting," Skarr added gripping his hilt again in case it was needed.

"And why is your skin the way it is?" Dalvyr and Nivrin asked simultaneously. They looked at each other briefly before returning their gaze to Shathalia.

"I am unsure, but it is what it is. As his is all white," she motioned to Dalvyr, "mine is all black," she placed a hand at her chest, "and his is pink," she gestured to Nivrin.

"Typical mystical cliché right here in the Crow's Nest," Aerion emoted smiling at how disturbing this was.

"You might even call it destiny…" Calla said from her quiet steak of not talking.

"Whatever it is, this is quite bizarre," William added as the rest sat in silence accepting it. Nikcoli was the only one used to all the reactions and her acquaintance.

"It's just a different color sylvari, have you not seen one before? Not all of us are greens, yellows, reds and oranges. Some are purple, and there's even a tale of a visitor from another tree out in Maguuma that is blue. It is simply a color fleshlings." Nikcoli tried to defend her friend yet again.

"While this is true," Grebb started, "All your eyes are the same coloring, save the pupils. She does not have the whites of the eyes most have." Grebb took a closer look since he was near her and looking his way. "It's as if they are voids, nothing inside looking back at us."

"And somehow I see you and your rocks. I still don't understand why Asuran's are seen as the brightest race." Shathalia looked away and sighed.

"I like her," Nivrin said again smiling darting eyes to Grebb to make sure he didn't retort. He noticed the daggers at her hips while looking her over in her seated poise. "You look like more of a thief, rogue, or bandit rather than some conjurer of the dead, especially with the colors you wear."

"I am what I am. Nikcoli and I can conjur the dead, yes, but I do so in a different manner. I conjure shades and shadows… things of pure darkness to aid me in my battles."

"Shadowmancer?" Grebb asked having heard the terms a few times before and having read about it in books within Rata Sum. He ignored her prior comment for now.

"If that's what you must call it, sure." Shathalia shivered a little and noticed the shadows in the room began to move and contort with her worry building. The ends of the furniture, the ceiling corners, and areas not lit up fully. All the shadows began to vibrate or wiggle. She sighed and closed her eyes. Nikcoli noticed.

"Are we done with the interview and mentally dissecting my friend here?"

"We were interested is all," Nivrin started. He went speak more, but his head turned to look at something. William continued.

"Yeah, she is just interesting is all. And yes, we can be done. All recruits have been generally interviewed."

"Welcome to the Tyria Vanguard. We protect the land by whatever means necessary."

Kadra raised a fist into the air and cheered while Sworn barely smiled at the comment. Bane nodded and Nikcoli sighed. Shathalia just sat in discontent. Her eyes were still closed, though no one knew because her hood was back on.

"Let's head to the Guild Hall!" Amerial offered. The recruits agreed, even Shathalia as she rose from her seat. She didn't want to be around the tavern anymore.

The group began to form together after getting out of their seats and they began to walk out of the doors to descend the long stairs. Grebb called to his golems to follow as the pets of Amerial and Dalvyr walked behind their owners.

"Niv," Arrik said not walking towards the door like the rest.

Nivrin walked by Arrik, "Hold on." He approached the barhop as the bartender approached.

"Here ya go. Thanks for letting us use the bar," he said lightly tossing a bag of gold on the counter top. "I added a few extra coins for the Asura. Sorry, he's not all there."

"Most aren't…" the bartender remarked grumpily and peeved, but thankful Nivrin was thoughtful enough on Grebb's behalf.

Nivrin nodded and walked back to Arrik as Skarr approached too.

"What is it Arrik?" Nivrin asked.

"Niv. You remember my tale I told you about when I first joined?" Arrik asked twisting and contorting to try and relieve his anxiousness and stress.

"Vaguely. Something about a human, asura and a seed. Also something about a murderer."

"Yes. I will tell you again, but Shathalia… I believe she was the murderer… She reeks of familiarity. My past is calling to me like my ancestors."

"Really?" Skarr asked wondering.

"I don't know, but I remember how the murderer creature thing said it. 'Sha-tha-lia' is all I heard in the darkness before I got to their corpses. It's the same name and all. I worry for our Vanguard Nivrin."

"I thought you said the murderer had no face, just an empty shadow?" Nivrin said now remembering the tale some.

"She did have no face, but she's had plenty of time to steal one. It's been twenty seven or so years ago when I was a young Norn. When I passed my trial and thought I could take on the world. This. This event was the reason I am the way I am now, what molded me to always rely on the light… her darkness changed me."

The three looked to one another regarding the information.

Skarr huffed, muffling his sliver of fear. It was more a challenge to Skarr. He went to speak, but Nivrin beat him to it.

"Well Arrik, I guess your story, her being -_born of shadow- _and the whole 'Shadowmancer' thing would explain that," Nivrin said pointing. Arrik and Skarr looked.

"What in Tyria…" Skarr said going for his hilt. He looked around seeing it more throughout the entire bar. Skarr didn't know how to react except to reach for his greatsword.

"By the bear…" Arrik said recalling the shaded experience of the past at the sight of what he looked at now. An aura of blue eminence began to flow from him, causing only some of the blackness to recede.

The three watched as the shadows of the entire tavern room they stood swayed and wisped about rhythmically. Tendrils of darkness, like fingers, played upon the surfaces they were cast. The movements of all the silhouettes were only visible if one had pointed it out, but Nivrin did. It was enough to cause the three small distresses. The shadows appeared alive, though no imminent danger could be seen. The spirit-like shadows were just dancing about to the rhythm and tune of their own dusky intent.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Perched atop the cliff overlooking the rest of the jungle below, Nivrin scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary. There was nothing but the wild plant life one would expect to see in Maguuma.

Countless varied trees distributed randomly, shrubs and bush was covering the ground in all directions, and vines covered extensive ground and in all directions, in some areas making sheets across trees. Some jungle creatures could be seen, but most were the smaller, nonlethal ones. The large group of Tyria Vanguard had already run into spiders, plants that try to eat humans with their poisonous spores and barbed stems, and diverse obstacles only a jungle could offer.

"Nothing," Nivrin mumbled while sighing. He looked back out of habit.

Every now and then, he peered back at Shathalia and Nikcoli, like the way Skarr eyed Bane, unsure of their true intentions. They were way out here after all. The new guildmates obviously had some sort of dedication, being out in the middle of nowhere and in a jungle no less.

"I believe this is the farthest west I've ever been," Dalvyr noted looking to his right. He didn't recognize the landscape at all. Many shades of green, seemingly all the hues of it, coated the jungle forest with browns accompanied by yellows, reds and even orange; blue was here and there from some of the more exotic plants.

"Same here Dal. And I used to live not too far east of here in Rata Sum," Grebb added seeing the downward slope of the jungle leading to the Wastes. "I bet my brother would have loved this."

"You have a brother Grebb?" Aerion asked blowing some shrubbery out of his walking path.

"I did. He was a Bioengineer. Bioengineer Dwibb. Loved plants and created all kinds of extraordinary devices to only excel his work. I have some of his belongings since his krewe has long since moved on without him."

"Oh. I'm sorry," Aerion said not realizing his brother was deceased.

"It's fine. I didn't know him all that well. I was young when he made his first breakthroughs. He was always exploring and in search of things, so I only saw him every once in a while. He al-"

"Ok, where are we supposed to be going?" Arrik said interrupting Grebb's reminiscent chat. Arrik too had fond memories of the annoying Asura, though Grebb didn't know it.

"Yeah, what are we doing out this far anyways?" William asked looking up from his map.

"Good question William. Smartest thing you've asked all day," Skarr spoke poking fun at the human.

"So, asking if Charr cover their excrement like housecats wasn't a good question?" William joked back. Skarr huffed, his playfulness from being bored now tinged with annoyance. He continued his conversation with Nivrin before Skarr could retort, "Niv, north is the old spot where the Ventari had that refuge or something. Further north than that are the Wastes, which no one goes. And for good reason. And if we keep going this way, we'll run into the Falls."

"Hey, little point of interest marked on this map. There's a Temple of Balthazar too past the falls," Calla added somewhat interested overlooking the map William held. Her beliefs coexisted with Balthazar's teachings.

"We're looking for anything out of the ordinary," Nivrin responded to William's first question.

"Out of ordinary? In a jungle?" Bane asked wondering. He wasn't too fond of jungles, given his elemental prowess. Bane was worried the leaves brushing against as he strode past would ignite at any moment.

"Bane is onto something here. Nothing really goes on out here. Too dense and full of critters and jungle-stuff," added Revvo while holding his rifle. He wanted to shoot something and the tree tops looked like good targets. Revvo refrained however.

"Not necessarily," Aerion said looking around, "Plenty of area out here. Never know what mysteries are out here."

Nivrin looked to Aerion and then to the rest. "According to Vekklo and the intelligence, some of the villages around here tell of unsettling events going on out here." Nivrin turned back to the lush jungle. He could see past some of the jungle to where the dried out, arid parts had lost their growth, the start of the wastes towards the right. He sighed, one of relief and adventure, because he wanted to explore. He was an explorer beneath the title and designation.

"Like what?" Amerial asked, concerned for the fellow tree cousins in the forest.

"Loud screeching noises. Bright purple, green and blue lights at night from areas that's usually inaccessible, things walking around in the jungle that crush foliage and even topple trees, and even the earth beneath their homes and feet shaking," Nivrin didn't move his head, staring out as he told the information still wishing he could go out past the jungle to the arid wastes.

"Sounds oddly familiar," Grebb said under his breath.

"That doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary," Sworn chimed in being behind the rest, "Sounds like a crazy hermit Asura working on golems." Grebb looked up at Sworn at the comment. Although Grebb agreed, he felt like Sworn jaded him with that remark.

Nivrin popped up and turned to the ash legion charr, "You know… you may have a point there." Nivrin chuckled and shook his head. The idea more than plausible.

"Hmm. Charr, you are right. It does sound like the workings of a crazy golemancer," Aerion verbally toyed looking to Grebb after his mention. Grebb shot Aerion a glance of disapproval.

Revvo nodded. "Could be Inquest too though if that's the case."

"True," Grebb offered with a hand on his chin thinking while trying to forget Aerion's comment.

"Well, regardless of what it is," Nivrin started now looking to the rest of the Vanguard, "we were called out here to check it out. I found it different from what we were used to doing."

"Like fighting the dragons through the Pact and taking care of small threats before they become big threats?" William noted.

"Yes, like those William," Nivrin said with a smile. William nodded with a smug look.

"I prefer a good fight," Skarr said with Kadra huffing agreeing.

"We haven't had a guild event in a while Nivrin," Dalvyr hinted from a sitting position beside the cliff while petting Thorn, his fern hound.

"We have not. You're right Dalvyr. We could use this opportunity as a guild event. We might as well see what's going on out here," Nivrin chuckled a moment and realized he could veil the mission under an 'event' to settle the lack of proper guild enthusiasm among the other members elsewhere in the world and not currently in the jungle with Nivrin. He looked back to the rest, seeing almost all fifteen sets of eyes, "Besides, Zhaitan's been defeated for some time now, the Dredge and Flame Legion are just trying to find something to do with their inner rage at the ones more powerful than them, and that leaves us with nothing to protect currently." Nivrin grinned. He realized this new mission probably was just an Asura golemancer testing out golems, be it Inquest or one from Rata Sum. It was either one Asura or one and his krewe. Would be simple to complete. Nivrin chuckled at the great idea.

"Until another dragon arises." Skarr said bluntly only wanting to use his greatsword on something.

"True Skarr," Aerion said while playing with some dirt and leaves he grabbed earlier. He whipped it about and coursed it through the air with his winds.

"Well, until then, we will find the root cause of this issue. Also, I want to see how the recruits handle our affairs. See their worth." Nivrin said now eyeing the recruits with a half smile. This would be perfect. Kill many birds with one stone, so to speak.

"If it is an Asura working way out here, it must be either Inquest or a golemancer using illegal operations to make them."

Nivrin ignored Grebb's comment, as it was already obvious. "Let's move out then. We will go to Nagaara Village where Vekklo, my contact, lives."

"Niv," William started shaking his head as they all began to move.

"Yes?" Nivrin said leaping off the cliff onto a smaller area of land looked to be used as a walkway. There wasn't much distance, so the jump wasn't lethal or hurtful in anyway.

"How on Tyria do you even know anyone at all way out here?" William too leapt, followed by the rest as they made their way deeper into the forest.

"I am in the Order of Whispers, do you not remember this William?" Nivrin grinned while moving on.

William shook his head, "Right, right. Let's just go,"

The entire group waltzed into the jungle. There were fifteen total from the Vanguard in the jungle. They were more than formidable for jungle enemies or obstacles with their numbers. There were the officers: Nivrin, Skarr, Dalvyr, William, Grebb and Amerial, And then there was everyone else: Hrafn, Revvo, Calla, Bane, Sworn, Kadra, Nikcoli, Shathalia and three others who just decided to tag along since they represented the Vanguard on the day the party set out on the mission. Sharki, the Asura Mesmer, Vaskar from Blight, the Guardian, and Vaugys the Sylvari Necromancer. There were no qualms with any of them, save the feelings of Arrik towards Shathalia, Nivrin towards both Shathalia and Nikcoli, and Skarr watching Bane. Other than that, they were just a nice big group of guild mates walking in a jungle.

The many made their way through the jungle not finding much along the way. That is until they reached closer to Nagaara Village.

"This isn't normally in jungles…" Grebb said seeing an odd strip of land mass with no trees, just many mounds of dirt. The trees from the circle were more spread out and not as thickly grown together. There were even a couple different paths leading from the circle to other areas in the jungle.

"I'm not in a jungle that often to know," Skarr mumbled looking the clearing of mounds over more.

The circular clearing, about twenty yards in diameter, just had mounds of dirt piled low and high. Some mounds reached the hips of the Asura present, while the bigger clumps in the middle stood a few inches higher than the Norn in the party.

"This doesn't look right…" Nivrin said looking at the rounded mass of dirt clumps. He noticed the odd tree in the center and thought about making his way to it, unsure whether or not to try because of the mysteries could be hidden under these mounds of dirt.

"It looks like a graveyard or something," Calla mentioned aloud wondering what it could be. Nivrin stopped his foot from going further at her comment.

"Let's check," Nikcoli said approaching the edge of the circle. She raised a hand as crimson and black energies began to course up her arm. Wisps of unholy green formed around her being as some of the mounds began to rumble and shake in some areas randomly. "There are definitely bodies under all them. They feel fresh too."

Nivrin gasped and looked to Grebb in an instant.

"What? I didn't do anything" Grebb retorted noticing Niv's movement.

"No, can you flatten all this? Make it easier to look through?" Nivrin ignored Grebb's comment.

"Oh. Um, sure I suppose," Grebb looked back to Aerion and then to Bane, "A little help would be great."

"Earth? I am no Geomancer, Grebb. That's all you. I can blow the dirt away if you want," Aerion said causing a small twister to appear on one of the mounds.

"I can help, but I don't know much about the earth magics," Bane answered. Walking up to Grebb. Skarr watched him the whole way.

"Just some help guys. Anything would be good." Grebb made his way to the edge of the circular area and told Aerion and Bane to spread out.

The three elementalists spread out some partially around the clearing. Grebb began to concentrate.

Chunks of rock began to lift from their spots on the ground around Grebb, orbiting around him randomly as the earth shook slightly in the vicinity of the clearing. Wind picked up and funneled into the clearing flowing upward, blowing the top layers of dirt and grass into the air and away from everyone. Bane picked up chucks of dirt with his elemental finesse and tossed them behind him.

"What is that?" Nivrin finally asked aloud seeing if anyone else saw the thing in the center of the clearing he had been eyeing. Now more visible, it looked like a small tree, but protruded through the ground in a manner not resembling a growing life form.

"I don't know. Looks like a banner-less banner," spoke the Charr warrior back to Nivrin.

"Grebb, Bane, Aer, cool it a second," Nivrin commanded walking up one of the mounds. Skarr, Arrik, Dalvyr and Calla followed him out of instinct.

Grebb stopped and watched Nivrin. Bane too stopped and shivered slightly. A cool breeze began to erupt through the area, causing many to shiver or to get goose bumps. The ones used to Aerion's tomfoolery shot him a sharp glance, despite it feeling good in the Maguuma heat.

"What? I'm bored," Aerion commented. He grinned, "He said to cool it."

"This… this was my contact…" Nivrin said now breaking branches and pulling leaves away from the display. After taking much of the overgrowth away, it was clear this was an effigy made from the remains of the Asura contact Nivrin spoke with days before. He looked it over in disbelief.

The Asura's head impaled through by the pole while his arms were strung up, held by vines above his head. His Order of Whispers uniform was wrapped around him with the hood of it forced into his hands.

"Vakklo…" Nivrin said shaking his head. Nivrin latched onto the crest of the Order and snatched it off the uniform.

"Was this the village?" William asked now putting the pieces together.

The fifteen Tyria Vanguard stood in their spots looking at the clearing in a new light.

"It's as if it rained dirt on the village…" Kadra said realizing what she was looking at.

Nivrin leapt off the mound he stood and headed off the clearing glancing at Grebb. Grebb, enthralled at such actions because this was his element that took the many lives of the villagers, began to focus again. The soil and dirt began to recede from the remains, flowing outward past the rest, causing the many present to raise their arms up to cover their eyes, mouths, and anything else needed to cover. Aerion helped blow it away from them, making clouds of dust and dirt behind them in the jungle.

Before long, Grebb whittled away the soil, revealing the remnants of Nagaara village. Small buildings made of wood and hide with other wooden constructs were completely broken and full of debris. Pottery, spoiled food, or bodies, were all coming together making up the entirety of each mound. It looked as though the village was buried alive with no remorse or ways to escape, simply buried, forgotten, and left for new jungle to grow over it.

"What caused this?" Dalvyr asked.

"A powerful Elementalist or Geomancer could do this, but this is a wide area. It would have to be very powerful." Grebb added looking over the remains in horror.

"It also looked like Vekklo was tied and pushed through the dirt from underneath it…," Nivrin stated thinking back at what he noticed prior to the dirt removal. "This is impossible,"

"Unless it were destroyers, they can burrow," offered Sharki, speaking for the first time today.

"No, they'd all be burned first before covered. They are of fire, not of earth," Bane corrected.

A cough mixed with a type of sneeze interrupted everyone's thought process. It didn't come from any of the Tyrian Vanguard.

Everyone looked to barely make out a Norn-sized humanoid rubbing his nose just as an enormous one walloped Vaugys, backhanding him far and partially into a tree some feet away. It roared at them as the rest of the smaller jungle trolls began charging at the Vanguard.

"For Great Justice!" Calla roared as everyone armed themselves, ready for the battle.

The big jungle troll stood up and grasped a smaller tree nearby, snapping it from its roots, and swung it towards the group, purposely missing, but breaking other trees in the way and getting rid of much of the leaves that grow on it. The scattering leaves caused a type of blurred vision for the Vanguard. The champion jungle troll placed the tip of the tree against the ground, leaned a foot into the top of its new weapon and snapped it off, now making for one big tree club.

The first line of jungle trolls met their end from Amerial and Dalvyr's arrows, Kadra's and Revvo's bullets, and magics of Bane, Hrafn, Nikcoli and Shathalia, and Sharkie. The rest charged at the jungle trolls. Another small wave of trolls was repelled back into the jungle a few yards by Aerion's winds.

"Stay in groups!" Nivrin commanded leaping over two jungle trolls in a circular, spinning fashion, slicing away at them causing them to bleed their sap-like blood. Nivrin landed, pivoted and leapt back over them as they turned around to attack him. As he landed once more, Niv watched the troll attacking him on the right fall from its many slices and begin to quarrel with the last one still bleeding.

Dalvyr took down as many as he could with his arrows, however once some trolls arrived at melee range, he switched to his plant-made greatsword and slashed away at a couple attackers as his fern wolf too attacked his targets. Amerial stayed at range with the other casters and shooters, picking off easy targets while firing at whatever her drake and fern wolf attacked.

Another troll came up to Grebb, ready to pound him into the ground as the ground itself jutted forward, causing the troll to fall off balance. Within a second of falling, a massive rock slammed into its head. Grebb dodged backward, ready for another. He began picking up earth from beneath him, molding it into sharp, jagged edges and flung them towards the attackers.

Calla hacked off limbs of some trolls in her path as Skarr did the same, only cleaving fully through other trolls, their plant-like bodies no match for strength and blades.

William blocked four trolls heading right at him with a blue wave of force. The trolls attacked the field and watched nothing happen, save a slice from William's sword. Arrik leapt up high and came crashing down with his hammer, crushing a troll from the shoulder, which now due the hammer, was deep into its lower chest. Vasker from Blight raised his staff into the air, letting sun seep into the staff head from behind William's protection and after some time, slammed it into the ground, erupting holy flame on the ground. The flames seared into the jungle trolls lower halves, burning and scorching them, yet leaving the jungle itself and the plant life under the blue flames untouched by some means.

Kadra bashed a troll in the head with her shield, giving some distance, and then fired right into its temple, leaving the troll to the ground. Revvo had thrown out turrets upon seeing the enemies and was firing away with his Asura-made pistols right along with them.

Nikcoli spread plagues to the trolls around her and watched as their flesh became eaten away, dropping before even reaching the necromancer. With a grin, she rested her scepter and waited for more to spot her. Shathalia rose her hand to the sky as a shroud of blackness coated her hands. Within seconds, shades took form from the surrounding shadows and began attacking her enemies. After summoning them, Shathalia jumped right into the fray with them, slicing away with her daggers.

"What are they?"William asked as he pierced another troll through the chest.

"They appear to be Sylvari cousins, only built more like ogre's than frail humans!" Skarr roared cleaving into another jungle troll.

"They are a type of jungle troll, but of what kind," Nivrin started before dodging another troll's attack. He slid to the right and threw a blade right into its head, leaving it running to Nivrin, but only dropping humorously as brain function ceased. "It looks like a different kind of jungle troll. Some new form."

The champion troll roared seeing the majority of its small army defeated so easily. It began slamming the ground with its tree log club out of anger. It stopped and bulked up some, preparing to run in. Before doing so however, it put its free hand to the ground. Seconds after doing so, earth and soil began to surge from the ground up into the troll, even beneath its skin. The action caused the rocks, earth, and some plant-life to buff up the trolls skin, acting now only as armor. After it was finished, it appeared to be more of an elemental rather than a troll and even adorned a new mouth, mimicking something from a dragons mouth, except viney and full of sharpened rocks Grebb had jutted into it.

"What did that thing just do?" Aerion said while zapping one of the remaining trolls with a lightning bolt.

"Got stronger…" Amerial added now switching targets to the champion jungle troll.

Half of the Tyrian Vanguard now switched to the champion jungle troll, watching it soak in attacks effortlessly while slowly making its way to them. It heaved up the club and came down upon Arrik and Skarr, who were in melee range. They dodged out of the way, and retaliated with their ranged weaponry instead, realizing being close to the this troll-elemental was a bad omen.

"Uh, what now?" Aerion asked still slicing wind at the giant troll and zapping it with flashes of electricity.

"Find it's weakness of course," Dalvyr said aiming where his instincts lead him.

"I was just going to say that…" Amerial added too aiming at the champions forehead.

The two fired, but found only Amerial's arrow launched. It was a direct hit, but merely briefly blinded the massive being. Dalvyr's arrow fell before him due to his bow being attacked, but not by any troll.

"By the Mother Tree.." Dalvyr said watching as a shadowy being broke his bow. It lunged out at him, but stopped and looked him over, as if thinking perhaps he wasn't worthy of attacking. Dalvyr didn't hesitate to question why and swung around his greatsword, slashing at it.

Seeing this, Nivrin became angered knowing he was right. His head whipped around, "SHATHALIA!" he roared, but as he aligned to her location, he saw her having trouble fighting two trolls. One had her pinned as she fought back. The other troll was recovering from one of her attacks. Nivrin didn't know what to think, but felt the urge to act.

Niv withdrew his short bow and fired at the recovering troll while running towards her. It looked to Nivrin and roared, but a few more arrows found its way into its mouth followed by a few more in its head thanks to Amerial.

"What's going on?" Skarr asked, though all the Tyrian Vanguard present wondered the same. The shade-beings attacked both trolls and Vanguard alike and evidently weren't controlled by Shathalia.

"I-I don't know…" Nivrin said stumped. His guard was let down while trying to figure out what was going on as a jungle troll looked ready to decapitate him without his notice.

Shathalia leapt from her position and clashed with the jungle troll. She used her legs and arm to maneuver around him, without touching the ground and sat atop its shoulders while stabbing furiously into its head until it fell with her. Nivrin turned and realized this couldn't be from Shathalia.

"Uh, thanks." Nivrin was at a loss for words and understanding.

"No problem Mr. Guild Leader," she responded with a nod. She ran into the fray where some were fighting the shades and even began fighting the shadows along with her guildmates.

"Shathalia!" Nivrin shouted.

She managed to ward off the shade she was quarrelling with at Niv's beckon and watched as it wavered in stance from her dismayed attack. "What?" she asked weary of her enemy.

"They aren't yours?" Nivrin asked watching Aerion, Grebb, Vaskar, and Calla fight off shadows.

"They are not. They look more," Shathalia paused looking at the one she dazed. She ran waltzed in at it, grabbing it with her hand at its throat, and spurt out another spell. It froze where it stood and looked completely still. She turned it slightly here and there, as if looking over a piece of plywood, except in black humanoid form. "They look more humanoid, just lacking a material form." She dropped it to the ground, where it dispersed into nothingness.

Arrik watched the entire thing and realized what was going on from his experience in the past. He ran to Nivrin and pulled him aside.

"Niv. Watch them over there…" Arrik hushed out pointing to one of these new shadows fighting with a troll. The troll was more than weary from battle with the Vanguard, lumbering just to attack, but the shade eventually killed the troll. After, it leaned over the troll that lain slain.

"Right here. Watch," Arrik repeated while watching. Sworn and Aerion were close, so they too watched.

The shadow being began to draw from the troll's corpse. Little by little the body of the troll became a lighter color, almost white as the shadow being began to look more and more human. As it drew the last of the essence it drew, the shadow looked more Sylvari than anything thanks to the jungle trolls plant-like makeup. The new shaded being stood and stretched, as if finally alive while the troll corpse lacked any pigment.

"See," Arrik said resting his hammer on his shoulder. Nivrin looked all too concerned.

"Vanguardians! Fall back some! Leave the champion to the shadows!" Nivrin commanded watching his comrades follow his orders. The few trolls and shades that were following them were easily taken care of. The Tyria Vanguard group now stood some feet away. They gathered in a group of fourteen before waiting Nivrin's orders.

Nivrin threw out his hand as the group became swathed in a cloaking field. "Now we wait," he said looking over to Sworn, "After my veil is down, throw one up, would you?"

"What?" Sworn asked wondering what he meant. Not all thieves and people share the same abilities as one another despite the same title.

"I got it," Hrafn said ready to throw up illusions.

The group waited and watched as shadows fought with the troll. More and more, the shadow beings began popping up randomly and out of nowhere. The champion jungle troll smashed through them to no avail, as the rest overwhelmed it. It fell and within seconds became completely black with the amount of shades covering it. Mere moments passed before the shade humanoids dispersed from the enormous jungle troll, which was now a white husk. The shadow humanoids had taken form, but some not fully. Some had their arms wispy as the rest of their entirety was fully formed. Other were missing a leg or pieces of their body, not having absorbed enough.

"By Balthazaar…" Calla said noticing a familiar face, only whitened.

The group became horrified seeing Vaugys broken some yards away. His body completely white like Dalvyr and mangled from the trolls. The one shadow being by him looked just like Vaugys' outline, as if he were still alive. It looked to a dead troll a few feet away and extended an arm to it, watching the troll twitch and move at the shadow beings command.

"No…" Amerial said realizing the implications of the actions.

"It steals not only colors, but ability too?" Grebb asked now scared of these life forms slightly.

"This is interesting…" Nivrin said watching the creatures gather together.

"What will we do with Vaugys?" asked Dalvyr, concerned for his fellow Sylvari comrade.

"We will bury him where he lies," Nivrin said, feeling bad to have lost a guild mate.

"Yes. His memories and experience are with the Pale tree now," Amerial said with a head veering down.

The shadow creatures lingered for a few moments searching for any signs of life they could steal from. In an instant, they all collectively veered their heads afar, to the mountain out in the distance. Immediately after, they disappeared into the shadows of the jungle.

"What are they?" Revvo asked with a jaw dropped. Nivrin threw up another veil before Hrafn's disappeared.

Commotion began to collect between the group of what they just saw, until Nivrin interrupted them all.

"Silence!" Niv shouted, looking back to make sure no shadows were rising up. None appeared to show up, so he continued. "I do not know what that was we just saw, but it has to be some kind of new creature from the jungle. Some new life that spread…"

"I don't think so," Grebb added looking around, "The jungle trolls were just like their plant cousins and the other stuff out here. Those…"

"Those were different," Skarr finished. He rested his greatsword at his back.

"Yeah, they were definitely different…" Bane commented recalling the event.

Nivrin turned to Shathalia. "Anything you can grant us about these beings Shathalia?"

She looked to his side while fixing her armor at her leg. She stayed knelt down on one knee while deep into thought.

"Well?" Skarr asked impatiently.

"I cannot offer an explanation, but I do know they are of shadow."

"Might they be of the Nightmare Court?" Dalvyr offered recalling how they seemed to resemble Sylvari.

"I doubt that Dal," William noted.

"I agree with William," Amerial jutted in, "If they are Sylvari in anyway, they would be sought after by the court, but I do not believe they are Nightmare. I suppose they could be though."

"Speaking of Sylvari," Hrafn started, "Those trolls looked like muscled, well built Sylvari. I've not seen such Sylvari before."

"Yeah," Aerion began with a contemplative look, "They did have plant bodies instead of the nasty skin."

"Perhaps they were elementals that copied the creatures of the land?" Amerial offered looking to Grebb.

"I don't know. I believe they are some kind of elemental. If they were elementals, they sure were summoned from something great." Grebb looked over to one of the bodies. "I would like to get a sample, if possible." Grebb looked over to Nivrin for the okay.

"I believe they are gone. Go ahead Grebb."

Grebb did just that as Nivrin let down their cloaked veil.

Skarr drew his greatsword, Arrik his hammer and Aerion his scepter and dagger. After nothing seemed to jump out or show themselves, they relaxed their grips slightly.

"What now?" Sworn asked wondering.

"Now we go back to Lion's Arch. I must meet with the Order," Nivrin looked to Aerion, "Aer, meet with the Priory. See if there is any knowledge of either buff Sylvari trolls or shadow people." Nivrin glanced to Skarr, who interrupted.

"Vigil. Got it. I doubt they've fought anything like them, but we'll see."

Nivrin nodded. He looked to Hrafn. "Any chance your group of mesmers may have encountered anything of the sort?"

Hrafn chuckled and smiled before speaking, "You think of us as more of a well known organization." He shook his head slightly, "I'll see anyway."

"That's all I ask." Nivrin then looked to Calla.

"The Vanguard records?" she asked him. Niv's smile and nod let her know she was right.

"Indeed," Nivrin said turning around and beginning to walk the way they originally came, "Let's bury Vaugys, talk a bit about him and get out of this damned jungle."

Most present agreed and followed. They fixed Vaugys, making him a little less broken, and placed him atop the mound with the rest of the dead bodies. The ones that knew Vaugys a little spoke of what they knew about him. It was hard finding words for a person they didn't know that well. This due to Vaugys being mostly a hermitic Necromancer living out of Kessex Hills.

"Alright. To Lion's Arch." Nivrin said placing a guild crest atop the new Grebb-made mound on Vaugys' corpse.

The fourteen began to head out with Arrik lagging behind covering the rear. He starred at Shathalia the entire time it seemed. Arrik was worried, angered, and confused and as it stewed within him, Arrik wanted to just use his hammer on her and be done. He didn't simply because he wasn't sure if she actually was part of these beings. All Arrik knew was that she was associated with them somehow, whether she knew it or not.


	4. Chapter 4

4

William sat content and alone in the grand vestibule of the Tyrian Vanguard guild hall. Bored, his mind drifted off of easier times. Times he would run around in Kryta with other kids, dashing around in his adolescence getting into mischief, and in his later teen years chasing after women. Now, however, his virtuous training had him running around Tyria for the Vanguard's issues and concerns.

William took a deep breath and looked around, noticing the things he hadn't before.

The grand entrance hall stood twenty five feet high with the ceiling arched in a vaulted manner. Two rows of columns, separated about ten feet from each other, adorned the center of the vestibule in rows. In the direct center of the floor was etched an old crest of the Tyria Vanguard, laid with proper flooring tools to preserve the detail with people walking over it. Gold and black shown as the dominant colors of the guild hall with tan, white and dark blue coated the other areas giving a nice unique feel to entirety of the Tyrian Vanguard domain. At the end of the hallway from the main doors were many rooms lead from a circular arch, leading off to guest quarters, the library, and other areas of interest.

William sat looking around admiring it all until the great hall doors began to open.

"So, what's the verdict?" William asked the charr comrade walking in. He leaned back in the chair comfortably, glad something had finally interrupted his bored gawking.

"Verdict? The verdict is we still have no clue what either the shadow things were or the Sylvari troll-things are." Skarr replied waltzing through from the guild hall doors.

"Our Vigil doesn't know either, eh?" William asked with a leisure hand in question towards Skarr.

"Not a clue. Some of the crusaders talked of confronting shadowmancers in the past, but nothing like what we encountered," Skarr huffed wishing there was more information.

"Well it is close to the wastes and no one goes out to the wastes, so probably some new unknown creatures. Kind of feel privileged myself," William boasted with a smile while still slouching in the chair.

"I'm glad we can say we can handle them," Skarr noted with a half grin.

William sighed and leaned his head back over the chair starring up at the vaulted hall ceilings. Seeing cracks randomly and realizing just how old the guild hall was, he wondered when it would cave in on them. "Side note here, but when are we going to repair the hall some? Been the same guild hall for what, seventy-seven leaders now?" William hadn't moved his head at all while asking, still staring upward at the antiqued vaulting.

Skarr glanced up. "Looks fine to me. Besides, we have other things to worry about William."

"By the Infinite Alchemy!" resounded throughout the main hall from Grebb's quarters.

"Oh Six, here we go…" William tilted his head upright at the proclamation.

"Heh, let's make a bet," Skarr said peering over at William feeling the betting urge come on.

"On?" William asked as he heard some crashing and miscellaneous noises coming from Grebb's quarters still.

"On what he is clamoring on about in there. I say it's some new golem mechanic or a golem itself," Skarr said raising his chest upward. He pulled out a sack of silver and hefted it lightly to tempt the human.

William grinned. Free money in his eyes. "Ok. Let's bet five gold coins."

"Five gold?! That's steep. I have twenty silver in here for the bet. Last I knew you were noble, not a thief."

"What? Noble? I just think I'm right," William grinned. He knew the remark would stir up Skarr.

"Ha! I doubt it. I've known Grebb a bit longer than you, William. I know him and his geo contraptions. Five gold it is, now pay up, I already know I'm right!" Skarr put out a palm, though he didn't expect anything.

"I bet it has to do with that sample he found in that damned jungle," William said snobbishly with a half grin and eyelids half closed. He knew Skarr's face showed a frown and a sense of lost profits without even looking. "The gold would be nice. Need a few new pieces of gear."

Skarr's notion of winning fell into doubt. His dignified stature turned to a slumping, failing one, "Hmm… you might be right. I figured with Grebb's golem addiction, it'd have to do with that."

Clattering of Asuran feet came running out into the hall. Grebb was barefoot.

"Guys!" he shouted coming from his room.

"What?" William and Skarr asked simultaneously. They looked at eachother and returned to the Asura.

"I- Wait. Where is everyone else?" Grebb asked wanting eagerly to discuss his find.

"Probably in their quarters, Lion's Arch, or somewhere else in Tyria. Why?" Skarr asked crossing his fingers hoping to not lose the gold.

"Damn. Well, I've gone through some of my Inquest data and was cross referencing the sample with what they were working on at their crucible. I have correlations, which might prove ill for us."

"Inquest data?" Skarr asked wondering why Grebb had Inquest anything. The bet was instantly forgotten.

"Ill?" William chimed.

"Yes. I was recruited by the Inquest long ago, but got kicked out for blowing up one of their labs off the coast of the fen." Grebb mentioned it like it was common knowledge and it was just an explosion.

"Grebb… how are you alive?" William asked now sitting up straight now wondering of his comrade's past. He would badger Skarr for the gold after the Asura left.

"You were Inquest?" Skarr asked now weary of his long-time friendship with the Asura.

"I was Skarr. And William, I was in a golem suit outside the compound when it happened. They weren't too happy, but anyways, this is all moot. I have great news!"

"And what is this news?" Skarr asked.

"These elemental Sylvari troll things share the same make-up as some of the magics the Inquest used in Zone Green."

"The what green?" William asked looking to Skarr with a raised eyebrow. A grin wanted to appear across his face due to the bet, but he stopped it. Grebb could still make a claim at making a new type of golem with the sample.

"Zone." Grebb stared at the two as if they should know. They just stared blankly back at him. "Ok, the Inquest draws power from the six Elder Dragons. They have a chamber dedicated to each dragon where they test and utilize the magic of each. The compound make-up from this sample is exactly the same as the kind within the Mordremoth chamber known as Zone Green."

"Mordre-what?" William asked wondering what the name was.

"Mordremoth. Elder Dragon." Grebb said plainly.

"Grebb, there is no elder dragon named Mordremoth," Skarr said chuckling, "And there's only five elder dragons."

"Wrong," Aerion said coming from his quarters, "There are six. Priory can confirm it."

"Six? Really?" William said now standing. "Guess we have a lot of work ahead of us."

"Yes, six." Grebb said.

"These things come in sixes, don't you know?" Aerion asked smiling. "Six gods, six main forms of magic, well technically not, but that explanation is for another time, but six elder dragons. Makes sense, does it not?"

Skarr and William looked at each other and then back to the elementalists.

"What's all the commotion now?" Aerion asked.

"The sample I took was derived or directly from Mordremoth," Grebb said looking at Aerion.

"I don't know the name Grebb, but sounds bad," Aerion offered with interest.

"Mordremoth, one of the six elder dragons." Grebb said plainly again.

"You are completely sure Grebb?" Nivrin asked from behind Skarr and William. Calla, Amerial and Dalvyr was with him.

"Really?" Calla said from behind Nivrin.

"Yes." Grebb said with a half smile.

"Are you for certain Grebb?" Nivrin asked again coming forward in front of all the rest.

"I am." Grebb said sighing, realizing what he found is dire news.

"It would make sense why the wastes are empty and why nothing has been heard from that area in over two hundred years." Nivrin looked to the floor in thought.

"So the troll creatures are from this Mordremoth?" Amerial put together

"It is a good possibility," Grebb answered looking to the side and then back to the group, "The shadow things, I still have no clue what they were."

"Nor do we," Dalvyr said with a book in hand.

"Yeah, we have spent the better half of the day in the sepulcher looking through the belongings of past leaders and rummaging through books in the library," Calla noted plopping down into a chair. Aerion noticed how she wasn't in her plate, but in regular, town-like clothes.

"Calla, I've never seen you so," Aerion had trouble figuring out the words to say, "Armor-less."

"You think I stay in my armor at all times?" Calla asked wondering how Aerion had not seen her without plate on before.

"No, just odd seeing you with as much armor as me," Aerion played hinting at the clothes he adorns.

"Enough," Nivrin said as he sat at a chair beside William. The rest before him gathered.

"Yes master?" Aerion granted humorously.

"Has anyone anything on the shadow creatures we encountered?" Nivrin was more than curious.

"Negative from the Vigil," Skarr said while leaning against one of the many columns in the hall.

"Priory has no intelligence of them, but we have descriptions of attacks that happened outside Lion's Arch, Ascalon and many near Brisbane. Our records details what they look like and they are similar, however in the dark, we are all alike and show the same shadow, so could be anything." Aerion tilted his head with the knowledge he bestowed, but he knew it was barely anything to add to the investigation

"Yeah, Whispers has nothing about such creatures. I checked yesterday with them. They have some of the same reports of some attacks from shadowy beings throughout Tyria, but not nearly enough details on each attack. Just silhouettes attacking for no apparent reason."

"So we should put the shadow things on hold and concentrate on Mogra guy?" William asked wondering.

"Mordremoth," Grebb corrected.

"Yes, that. We looking into him?"

"We are," Nivrin said with a sigh. He realized they needed to act. "Call the rest here to the guild hall." Nivrin stared into the table.

"The rest?" Skarr asked wondering what he meant exactly.

"Yes. Everyone who rallies or is able to represent us must know," Nivrin looked to each Tyrian Vanguard looking at him.

"What's the plan?" Aerion asked wondering about Nivrin's real scheme.

Nivrin looked sternly to Aerion. "Plan is we go back. We venture back. Back to the wastes and find out where this dragon lies and why he is dormant."

"Or if he's waiting to attack…" Skarr mentioned, truthful in his words.

"True…" Grebb said with a sigh.

"We must accept this as a possibility. Many waited when Zhaitan attacked, not realizing how bad his ideals were for Tyria, but Traherne acted swiftly and collected the Pact with his commanders. They hailed under one banner and fought against Zhaitan and won. We must seek out this threat and see its plausibility. If it's true, there will need to be a new fort erected somewhere at the edge of the wastes."

"Does the Pact not know about this?" Aerion asked.

"No. No one does," Nivrin chuckled and shook his head, "Ambassadors, notify the Vigil and Priory, I'll get Sworn to notify the chantry for me. Amerial and Dalvyr, go to Fort Trinity and talk to Trahearne of this possible threat. I need to visit each of the cities and Lion's Arch, posting signs recalling us all here."

Nivrin watched the rest among him get ready to head out, however there was an uneasy silence between them all. Just as it set in, Nivrin felt the need to speak, as if to only amplify the reality of it. He couldn't, however, before Arrik interrupted from the right staircase.

"That serious, huh? Another Dragon?" Arrik said shirtless with some of his lower body armor on.

"Yes Arrik. It is. Ready yourself, we'll head out in two days time, with hopefully the Pact and the other orders sending in investigating teams behind us in three or four days time," Nivrin looked the right sharply in thought, "I have to collect some debts and allies as well now that I think of it."

Arrik shook his looking downward, agreeing, yet he didn't move. He looked back up to Nivrin after a few silent moments. "What of the shadows? Are they not a threat?"

"They are Arrik, but right now," Nivrin stopped himself now realizing just what the words he was about to speak meant. He took a breath and began, "We face yet another Elder Dragon and his name is Mordremoth."


	5. Chapter 5

5

The group of close to forty approached the part of the jungle fourteen of them had been some days ago. Not all were of Tyria Vanguard, but were affiliated only because of unpaid debts, gestures of braveness and interest, but most of all what was at risk. The next elder dragon to rise was enough reason for many to mend hatreds and form new allegiances.

Aerion chuckled watching the broad, tall ogre lash away at the jungle debris not native to its home. Its devourer pets too appeared to have trouble, not used to the terrain.

"Long ways from home, eh, Cravisk?" Aerion joked smiling, realizing just how far they were from the Ascalon area. He had never held a conversation with an Ogre before and found enough courage to impose since he knew its name from Skarr.

Cravisk looked over to the human. "I am. Yesh,"

"Why are you here?" Aerion wondered aloud walking past jungle brush with ease.

"I am here to rebay a dept to Shkarr Hyuuman. He helped my kraal, sho I reshpect him and I will reshpect you. What is yor name?" asked the Ogre in worn yet lavish leathers. The two medium sized horns intimidated Aerion slightly, not to mention the mask covering Cravisk's nose and mouth. The odd axe-like weaponry that was hand crafted by the Ogre looked tantalizing yet warmed Aerion knowing Cravisk was an ally.

"I am Aerion and I respect you too, hunter. You and the kraal you hail from. To even be able to work with anyone outside your kraal in an orderly fashion speaks a lot for you guys.," Aerion meant what he said and found it weird being allies with an Ogre.

"Thanks Aryon," Cravisk said with a hidden smile. His devourer pets stayed at his side peering around the jungle they traversed. The one on Cravisk's right was sifting through the jungle dirt. As it walked, searching for a snack.

"Everyone!" Nivrin shouted standing atop the same hill he had perched on previously while finding out about the shadows and Mordremoth's minions. He peered at the many before him while watching the sun rise. Officers of the Vanguard walked up and stood in front of the mass group.

"We go out today to not only look into a possible threat, but to reassure those in our land that it is _their_land that is safe." Nivrin looked to those who began to cheer and rally, "No need for that, no noise. We do not want to draw attention. We get in there, investigate, and leave. I plan for no lives to be lost. You all come to us from different life trodden paths, and I expect you to keep going about that path after this detour."

Mainly composed of the five dominant races, there were many among the mass group from other walks of life. Mixed in with the Tyria Vanguard were representatives from the Priory, Whispers, and Vigil, as well as Pact officials. Though the Pact was the coalition of the three orders, it had become more of Trahearne's unit against elder dragons, almost becoming its own order. Not just the other orders were there. Ogre's, Skritt, Hylek and Quaggan mixed in the group. Two Centaur trotted along in accordance with a peace treaty and to seek out the centaur cousins that inhabited the Wastes many years ago. Even one Tengu was among them all, somehow having ties with Nivrin and/or the Order of Whispers.

"We will meet back here at dusk fall and," Nivrin started before looking at the group in a new light. There was no title to cover this mass of individuals. Though from different walks of life, they were still amassed for a single cause. A sole purpose. They needed a title, in Nivrin's eyes anyways.

"Nivrin, are you alright?" William asked wondering about the pause.

"I am fine William. Just eager to move out," Nivrin lied, thinking of what to name the group.

"Then call for us to head out?" William retorted wondering why Nivrin was lagging.

"We shall in just a second," Nivrin looked away from William and looked to everyone. "Today we hope to find some clue our claim is true. Mordremoth is a new name to many of us, but has lingered through the ages in books and legend. This group we have collected is more than formidable for what Elder Dragons can exhume, for many of us were there for Zhaitan's fall, but first we must prepare. Learn. Make right our claim before we act." Nivrin smiled and continued seeing some smiles back and some confused faces, "We will be the forerunners of what may come. We will be brash and face the front before all else," Nivrin grinned. He was okay with the name in his head, though he also thought it could have used more thought put into it. The name was fine for now however. "We are the Forefront."

The group offered a few cheers and nods before seeing Nivrin called off the noise again.

William chuckled, "_That's_why you were paused. Not everything needs a label Niv," William offered with a hand.

"Ah, but a designation makes us stronger William," Nivrin said before looking to his officers. He leapt down and looked around wondering where to start.

"How will we divide?" Skarr asked eager to make way.

"We take small teams and spread out. Pact, Vigil, Priory, and those from the Chantry, form up. I will select a crew to accompany me for differed reasons. And the rest just find a grouping."

William glanced at Nivrin at the comment as Amerial went to speak, but saw Nivrin's face of disinterest and stopped herself.

"We search for anything we can use to our advantage. Anything we can use to either reassure our safety or ensure our next battle for Tyria," Nivrin's eyes bulged slightly having forgotten to relay information, "Oh! I forgot!" he shouted, "Make sure before you leave to align yourselves with the waypoint that Grebb and Revvo are erecting to get back easier, otherwise it will be a long walk." Nivrin saw the two Asura's work in the distance. "Also, thanks to Revvo and the Priory, we have lights to use for incase we run into trouble."

"Let's just call them flares Niv," Aerion commented while leaned up against a tree.

"Flares even. Everyone here will each be given a flare by Aerion. If you run into trouble, erm," he stopped unsure where to go next with the information. He had no clue how to use these flares and looked to Aerion.

"You just put your fist in the air with it in your hand, make sure everyone is close by, and use it. That's it. The device will do the rest," Aerion shouted grinning at Nivrin.

"Yes, what he said!" Nivrin looked faintly disgruntled by his fellow human guild mate. "Hey, I'm more of a blades kind of guy, not gizmos," he commented to Aerion, who just nodded.

The groups began forming. People walked around chatting while figuring out where they needed to be. Nivrin shooed others away until he stood alone with the Tengu.

"Kydrei. You are with me," he spoke to the Tengu.

"I know this already," replied the bird-like being with bright green eyes and an orange-yellow beak. The gray colors of its feathers entwined perfectly with the black ones, making it not only stand out, but appeal to the Order of Whispers attire it adorned. The blades it wore as part of the Tengu's wardrobe were even shaped and made like feathers.

Nivrin nodded. He glanced out over the groups and then to the mass unsure where to go. He grinned seeing his divine Norn ally.

"Arrik. I need you with me."

Arrik looked up, surprised Nivrin wanted him. "Uh, alright. I'll be glad to." He walked over to Nivrin and Kydrei, clad with a shining aura and a smile. He had no complaints with it. Vaskar, who was right beside Arrik when Nivrin asked, looked over wondering if he would be included. Nivrin looked to him seeing his wandering eye. He felt bad. "You too. Let's go." Vasker did the same, joining Nivrin and the other two.

"I do think I should go with the leader of all of this," spoke a human to Nivrin with three people behind him, obviously his servants by his royal attire and golden colors.

"And who appointed me leader in all this?" Nivrin jutted back, "I do not want such the title. I am already a leader of a guild, Sir Salreznar," Nivrin huffed hearing the human royalist speak to him.

"Then perhaps I can take up the role. It'd seem quite fitting for me." Salreznar said boasting his chest upward in stature as if he was almost positive he'd make such a great leader.

"I think a boot between his legs would fit better," Arrik said under his breath. Kydrei made an awkward noise, as if a laugh. Arrik was more surprised than glad he made a Tengu laugh.

"Fine by me. The title is yours Salreznar," Nivrin said rolling his eyes ever so slightly, "However, you will not accompany me and my crew." Nivrin turned back to the group on non-grouped soldiers.

"And why not?" Salreznar asked offended. The wrinkles in his forehead from the raised eyebrows and the wide brown eyes belied the offensive face all too sternly. The royalist was used to hearing what he wanted to hear.

"I prefer ones who can fight for themselves and not have squires do the work and fighting for them."

Nivrin walked through the crowd after his comment. Kydrei and Arrik tagged along while Nivrin looked around for those he needed.

Sir Salreznar appeared angry, but in a way he never was before. The royalist was not used to being let down. He was declined and it felt unnerving. Stifled, he stumbled a bit while merely turning to his servants. Ignoring the event, he continued, "Alright. Everyone," Salreznar shouted, "I have been appointed leader. I am picking those to come with me. If you're with me, we go North!" Salreznar began to tear up slightly. Most present thought it from tears of joy at the new title, however they knew nothing of the saddened tears of reality Nivrin caused.

"Shathalia, with me," Nivrin said approaching her.

Shathalia turned around, interested in his order, as though it was a proposal to her.

"Me? Why do you want me?" she asked looking Nivrin over trying to figure out the intentions.

"For an array of reasons dear. Mainly because I saw how you fight. It interests me and I only now wish to see these skills better myself."

"No need for flattery guild master," Shathalia smiled after her remark.

"Was not trying to flatter you, just you fight like that of a thief or bandit and yet you're a death raiser. It is interesting, dear. Where did you train?"

"I taught myself with what I took from another," Shathalia said smiling faintly, only realizing she said took and had to clarify, "I mean learned, what I learned from another."

"Well it is as impressive as you are, dear. Please, come with me so I can study your combat more."

Shathalia grinned. It was a compliment and Shathalia loved it. She was a female after all. "Alright. I will go with you. Nikcoli is to accompany as well."

"No," Nivrin said sternly. His facial expressions didn't change in the least. He was too concerned with looking out his peripherals, though no one knew.

Shathalia was shocked by the response and now felt belittled instead of the small tingling of attraction. "Why not? We've been traveling together for the better part of my travels and to separate us now would just be a bad omen."

Nivrin tilted his head while glaring at Shathalia. "Bad omen for who Shathalia? Is that a threat Sylvari?" He asked knowing it wasn't. He was playing a game, of sorts.

"It wasn't, I was merely saying we've not yet been apart. We fight better together, study best in a pair and just do better alongside one another. We shouldn't part."

"Well you will be apart for this. Nikcoli is better suited to Amerial's group," Nivrin lied pointing to Amerial with her almost gathered group.

Shathalia looked to Nikcoli as she approached. Nivrin looked away, but stayed close, shouting for Dalvyr as a gimmick. He watched the ground looking to the little shadows that the trees and humanoids cast. A happy, yet worried façade coated Nivrin's face: his assumptions were correct. Nivrin leered downward uncontrollably.

"Nikcoli, how-," Shathalia started before her friend intervened.

"It shall be just fine, Shathalia. Calm down. Do not get emotional or overly into your combat, lest," Nikcoli looked around and saw Nivrin's gaze, "Well, we know what will happen. Just stay focused and do what you must. You are in need of this truthfully Shath. To be alone and control this yourself. You've become much better and you know this. It is time to test yourself."

Shathalia took a deep breath and smiled. "You're right, Nikcoli. I am sorry. Just haven't been away from you in such a long time."

"I understand. We are connected like sisters and I too feel the pain of this sever, but we cannot be together always. It will be good for us."

"True." Shathalia hugged her.

"Dalvyr," Nivrin said done eavesdropping and seeing him approach. His glance hadn't moved from the ground, still staring down at something.

"Yes?" the white one responded.

"I want you with me." Nivrin smiled and finally connected with Dalvyr's eyes.

Dalvyr looked confused. "You do?"

"I do."

"I thought you wanted for us officers to take a group out ourselves?" Dalvyr wondered out to Nivrin.

"I did." Nivrin did not look to speak another word, confusing Dalvyr more.

"Then what," Dalvyr started before stopping due to confusion.

"Amerial is entirely capable of leading your group, especially with Nikcoli now. They will be quite fine." Nivrin said knowing Nikcoli and Shathalia were right behind him, as if causing a tear in their emotions about the subject.

Dalvyr nodded. "And what do you want of me?"

"Your skills with a bow of course," Nivrin gloated.

Dalvyr smiled blankly, "No need to brag on me friend, it does not suit a Vanguardian such as yourself, but knowing you well now, I do believe there is more to it than that."

"Perhaps, but for now it is just of your archery." Nivrin smiled, nodded, and patted Dalvyr on the shoulder before looking out for another of his to be crew while walking past the white one.

The groups began to take form as Nivrin collected his last pieces to his investigating puzzle. Five groups formed up, which was perfect to Nivrin. Each group could walk off and investigate a different direction. The only fully formed and ready were the group of the orders and the newly formed group of Amerial's.

"Our group is ready Nivrin," Amerial said smiling.

"Oh? Who is your group composed of?" he asked looking them over.

"I have Nikcoli, William, Sonja, Gunnar, Kadra, Grebb and Revvo."

"Sounds fine to me. You will be just fine, especially with the two Asura."

Grebb and Revvo grinned, liking how Nivrin catered to their Asura brilliance tinged with arrogance.

"Speaking of which," Nivrin said looking to Revvo and Grebb, "Did you erect the waypoint?"

"Yep," Revvo responded while pointing to it a couple yards away in a clearing.

"We did. It is temporary, but temporary is a variable term when it comes to waypoints." Grebb began to scratch his head.

"What do you mean?" Nivrin asked wondering while looking at the floating Asura device in the distance.

"Well, waypoints aren't exactly a common knowledge internally. We know they do work, we don't know _how_ they work," Grebb answered with a guilty smile.

"Define temporary, because I would prefer to get back at a decent hour towards dusk."

"I say temporary because it may be here for a couple days or a couple years. The input method I used are the same ones we used some years or so ago, where the waypoints would have to be replaced after so many years of working."

"Ah, so just for today is fine, right?" Nivrin wanted reassurance.

"Yes," Revvo and Grebb said simultaneously.

"Good," Nivrin said now looking to Amerial.

"We will head south, is that alright?" Amerial asked seeing his eyes.

"Yes, that is actually where I thought a group of your collection would be best to explore. Closer to Rata Sum and the Grove. Quite a good choice."

Amerial nodded to Nivrin and they set out before anyone else.

"Hey, where are they going? I want a few of them to be in my group!" Salreznar said walking up behind Nivrin.

"They're full. And it looks like your group is full too, Sir Salreznar…" Nivrin joked seeing Salzreznar, his protector and his two squires.

"We have no one else but us… Will no one join us?" he asked aloud, however he sounded desperate. Nivrin contemplated taking the rag-tag crew seeking only glory for the bored royalist. They merely wanted to broaden the royalist's name more. Nivrin wasn't sure if it was for more power, recognition, fame, fortune, or to strengthen his name. Either way, it was a bad reason for Nivrin. He regretted bringing them in that moment looking over their dull, despondent faces. He was about to accept them into his group when Skarr came up to them.

"You four just hanging around? Not looking to be part of this Forerunner group?"

"Forefront," Nivrin corrected.

"What? Yes. We are looking for more to join my supreme ranks. Our group will find exactly what us Forefront people are seeking," Salreznar bragged with an ignorant pride.

Skarr huffed. "Well if that's the case, get in my group. We need some fodder."

Salreznar choked on his spit at the fodder comment. The royalist didn't know how to react, but couldn't if he wanted to. He was busy trying to catch his breath and stop coughing while being offended.

"Well, that's settled," Nivrin said shaking his head and moving out before Skarr changed his mind. Mid way he saw a sole charr staring into a dagger it held. The blade almost resembled a short sword with its length and width.

"Bloodgaze, right?" Nivrin said approaching him. Nivrin made a point to figure out why his surname was Bloodgaze and why he had yet not been put in a group.

"Yes. That is me, Sworn. Sworn Bloodgaze," Sworn said peering up from his blade riddled stare. The crimson coated eyes caused Nivrin to smile, now knowing the truth behind his surname.

"Any affiliation with my Norn friend Hrafn Darkgaze? Part of the same Warband?" Nivrin joked.

"What?" Sworn asked confused at Nivrin's joke. He thought him serious, "No, no relation at all, save the 'gaze' part."

"A jest, sir, nothing more," Nivrin said disappointed, finding it more humorous than anyone else present evidently. "You've not picked a group?"

"You mean a group hasn't picked me," Sworn said sheathing the blade to his side.

"In that case, come along with me. We could use another pair of blades."

Sworn nodded with interest, not out of courtesy, while peeling himself from leaning against a tree. "Alright. Where to?"

"Behind me for now. With the rest of course," Nivrin commented now seeing the rest of his to-be crew conversing amongst themselves a few feet away. "Well, I don't know Verona, perhaps you're right, but the Borderlands are where I seek my glory. Rival guilds, renegade groups, enemy keeps and forts for ransacking, commanding large armies," the warrior said with an unseen smile beneath his helmet. A great sigh came from beneath the faceplate, "That's where the action is really at."

"While true," Nivrin interrupted Verona as she was about to speak, "if this proves to be an elder dragon, you'll have all the action you could ask for."

"You are?" Verona asked, peeved she was interrupted.

"I'm Nivrin, leader of the Tyia Vanguard. You are?"

"Verona," she put simply with quaint disgust.

"Well met," Nivrin said with a smile.

"I'm Hargox Chainblade, but call me Chain. Chain Legend. It is what I am known by," the Norn warrior said introducing himself while raising the faceplate on the helmet revealing deep brown eyes and some dark blue tendrils of hair, "And we are from the Last World Order."

"Last World Order? Does it encompass this world? The entire planet of Tyria?" Nivrin asked wondering with a hint of humor.

"Uh, yes?" Chain said wondering just what Nivrin was getting at.

"Ah, well that's nice. Kind of like us Tyria Vanguard then."

"Like the Ebon Vanguard?" Chain asked with a parallel humor.

"Kind of, except with less hatred towards the charr, more widespread, and not completely engrossed in reclaiming Ascalon."

"I see," Chain said as the two shared a laugh.

"So, are you and your crew in need of a group?" Niv asked eyeing those with Chain. They looked ready for whatever may come, which is what drove Nivrin to ask them.

"We are. Will you have us?" Chain said offering up a courtesy hand to Nivrin.

"I definitely will. And you will finish our grouping."

"Sounds good," Chain said turning, realizing he needed to introduce the rest of the crew with him, "Oh. This is Verona Warnell, blade mistress," Chain said hovering a hand to the female he spoke of. Clad in browns, blacks, and whites, with hints of gold, this human female looked all too ready for the journey ahead of her. The tight leathers adorning her figure left little to the imagination, yet enough to want the more yearning males to want to find out.

"Charmed," Verona said with the utmost lack of concern and care.

"This is Tipps, Asura dark magi," Chain motioned to the small sinister Asura. The dark colors and greens mixed with a sinister attire composed of both Asura intellect and decay appropriated the _dark_ title.

Tipps nodded with half shut eyes. Or half open. Whichever was more likely for his master Asura plan.

"And this is Hesporos, my fellow fighter from the Borderlands," He waved to a human adorning red, blue and gold colored heavy armor.

"Yep, we met at the Borderlands, fought together and haven't changed since. Still fight everywhere together," Hesporos mentioned with a honorable nod to his fellow Borderlands partner.

"Well met all," Nivrin said bowing to the four. The introduced ones too bowed, Verona out of courtesy, not because she wanted to. Nivrin eyed Verona, somehow recalling her face somewhere before. He quickly shunted the thought, for it was moot and getting to be breakfast time.

"Nivrin!" called Hrafn walking up.

Nivrin turned and saw his Norn friend, "Ah, Hrafn. I was just talking about you earlier."

"Our grou-" Hrafn started before realizing what Nivrin had said, "Wait, you were?"

"Yes. You're Darkgaze, right?"

"I-I am," Hrafn remarked unsure what Nivrin was getting at or why he was being talked about.

"This is Sworn Bloodgaze," Nivrin said waving to the charr.

"Oh. I see. Well," Hrafn started ignoring Nivrin's lack of adequate humor, "we're going to head out. Our team is ready and mostly composed of the other races."

"Oh, they've collected into a single group? How interesting." Nivrin looked over past the mesmers to see the three Skritt, two Quaggan, three Hylek and the two Centaur standing beside one another. He chuckled all too lightly and grabbed Hrafn's attire, pulling him down to Nivrin's size. "This a jest? I can see you illusionists staying together, but bringing them -AND- collecting them into one group? Hrafn, this is a time of worry and anxiousness for the races, not a time to play."

Hrafn sulked slightly, "Niv. I am hurt you think I'd do such a thing. I regard them just as I did the first time I met their races." His tone was all too serious.

"Hrafn, they've all been enemies until recent years. Skrittsburgh just some years ago opened its gates to us and the Quaggan have been the friendliest out of all of them. They better come back in one piece."

"Just one?" Hrafn said with a wink to his friend, yet without a smile or any hint of teasing. Nivrin didn't smile or even look content with the Norn and his awkward ways.

Nivrin watched as the group headed northwest. He sighed.

"Niv, is all well?" Kydrei asked.

"Yes. I just hope this all turns out well for Tyria."

"As do we all. I doubt anyone would be here otherwise," Kydrei said as a loud commotion interrupted them. They looked to see Skarr and Sir Salreznar bickering over something. Skarr appeared fed up and hit Salreznar on the head with his greatsword hilt, where the Sir fell to the ground. Nivrin wanted to go intervene, but decided it was better to watch, for humor sake.

"Hey!" shouted the female human that was Salreznar's appointed guardian.

"Here," Skarr said tossing his fingers towards the unconscious nobleman, "take your royal idiot and bring him. Drag him, push him, heft him up, I don't care. At least now we can rest our nerves from his foolishness."

Skarr sheathed his greatsword at his back and walked on with the rest, save Salreznar's crew. They lingered a little before following.

"Ok, not everyone here, but most of us Nivrin," Kydrei corrected.

Nivrin chuckled and looked to Verona who was approaching.

"When do we head out?" she asked with a crooked smile. Nivrin saw she was friendly this time, but wondered again where he knew her from. He figured he'd play along, for it was to be a long day otherwise.

"We leave now, actually," He stated and looked everyone else, who were talking amongst themselves, "We head due west! We investigate what used to be Nagaara village and head west beyond that."

"Wasn't there just mountains west of the village?" Arrik asked out of worry.

"Yes there are, why Arrik?" He asked with a fake look of interest.

"Just wondering is all." Arrik shifted in his armor some, recalling his past and realizing Nivrin was trying to kill two problems with one trek. Arrik sighed, which turned into a chuckle out of fear. He now knew Nivrin was up to something other than just an elder dragon investigation by the tone and look he received from him. Arrik also knew what was on the other side of that mountain.


	6. Chapter 6

6

"May I?" Shathalia asked eagerly standing before the remains of Nagaara village she had visited previously. She hoped Nivrin would say yes.

"May you what?" Nivrin asked not looking at her. He was busy examining part of the outer edge of the village remains. He did not care enough to even glance over at her, he thought he might be on to something in the area he was studying.

"Create minions for myself, of course. I can feel their bodies yearning for life." Shathalia fluttered her fingers towards the direction of the many bodies she could raise within the buried houses.

Shathalia had quite the time adjusting to the new grouping situation, but found herself in good hands and, most of all, in a good mood. No temperamental shifts, no change of heart, but she found herself in a spot of adventure she had not yet experienced. Nivrin, although intimidating, was quite charming and knew how to talk to her, it was as if he knew how and when to talk to her before she would erupt into an emotional lapse.

"It would be rude to the dead here," Arrik blurted with Vaskar agreeing behind him with a nod.

"But the bodies lack a soul and are no more," Dalvyr was in agreement with his fellow Sylvari, " to deny her deathly companions given the situation and the dire nature of what is at stake, I say the more the merrier, personally." Dalvry looked to Nivrin lifting his eyes from the pile of remains and debris.

"I don't see why not," Nivrin said sighing now looking to the two Sylvari. He too agreed with Arrik, but given Dalvyr's argument, he was swayed, "They are dead anyways."

Shathalia smiled and began a ritual. Her arms waved lightly as green and black magic began to encompass her. The bodies buried beneath the debris of what was once Nagaara village began to make their way dramatically from the dirt in the same unholy auras. He wondered why all the bodies were the same color. Sworn verbally inquired what he wondered.

"Why are they all black?" Sworn mentioned watching a few of the dead bodies slump over to Shathalia in their dull ebon coloring.

"I do not know, but I know they are now my own," Shathalia said with a smile.

"Shadows maybe?" Verona asked knowing some of the necromancer arts and their fiends.

"That's not right," Chain said eyeing them over.

"They should be dirty, bloody, and missing skin, not," Sworn started trying to find the right word, "charcoal." Sworn shook his head.

"Perhaps they were burned first?" Kydrei asked too wondering of the discoloration.

"No evidence here suggests flames of any kind," Arrik said recalling when they were here last.

"Odd." Chain commented looking over the minions. He noticed even their insides and the blood that dripped were blackened in different degrees."

"Might they be the remains of those shadow-things we fought last we were here?" Arrik asked with a shiver thinking perhaps they were.

"I do not believe so," Nivrin said looking them over again.

"My new minions have bodies and aren't transparent like shadows," Shathalia said somewhat peeved.

"Doesn't matter guys. Whatever the case, let's get to work," Nivrin commanded whipping his head back to the area were he searched for clues.

Some time passed as the group searched. Shathalia's risen minions raided their own burial site. Collecting together to pick up heavy objects, sifting through the debris, and putting aside anything that might tell the story of how and why this happened to the village.

"What exactly are we looking for out here?" Verona asked kicking some dirt that resembled a face in her mind. Her beliefs and experience led her to believe there were clues to this tragedy elsewhere, not at the village. Starring into the face, she really wondered why and how she ended u in this jungle.

"We search for anything-" Nivrin started, but Arrik interrupted.

"Out of the ordinary. Got it."

Nivrin shot Arrik a glance tinged with slight annoyance. "Arrik, everything alright?"

"Yes, why?" Arrik asked with butterflies in his stomach. He was uneasy being back in the area. Uneasy about Shathalia's minions, how close they were to Arrik's past haunts, let alone Shathalia herself. Being in the group with her drove him crazy, however he was an adult and in the end, he could handle it, despite not wanting to.

"Wondering is all. Not like you to interrupt me." Nivrin looked Arrik over in that moment, knowing Arrik was hiding something.

"Nivrin," Arrik began with a grin, "I've known you for how long now? I know what, how, why and when you're going to say something. Nothing new."

Nivrin wanted to slap the Norn, but realized this was part of his ongoing plan: Nivrin was as predictable as he wanted them to believe. "True. My apology."

Arrik smiled, now scanning the ground for anything of importance. He looked to the side seeing the risen minions do a lot of work for Shathalia. They were lifting what remained of their belongings, their village, and their old homes and not even knowing it, in essence desecrating their own graves; sifting through memories, hopes, and the once daily lives they lived without knowing they were doing so.

"That's just not right…" Vaskar said before Arrik could say it.

"Yes, I completely agree. They are their own grave robbers Niv," Arrik commented atop Vaskar's words now looking back to his guild master.

Nivrin looked over to the minions, watching them as they aided in the investigation as Shathalia instructed. He too felt how wrong it was, but shoved it aside for the matter at hand.

"I see workers working. How is that something to disagree about? They are helping us investigate at a faster pace. If anything, you complaining is more of the hindrance here." Nivrin walked over to where his fellow fallen Whispers Agent had been strapped to the effigy.

Arrik huffed as Vaskar looked offended. Vaskar motioned to walk over to Nivrin and tell him how he was wrong. How their bodies weren't meant to be alive in un-life. Vaskar wanted to give the guild master some insight on better etiquette, but Arrik stopped him, extending his hammer in Vaskar's way.

"No. It is fine," Arrik said humbly, "Leave it be and do what we had set out to do."

"But," Vaskar started before Arrik merely shook his head. Vaskar sulked and whipped around, back to the searching.

"Well, this is peculiar," Tipps said picking up a clump of something.

Nivrin sharply shifted his gaze to the Asura. The others did as well.

"What is?" Kydrei wondered aloud in query.

"What did you find?" Nivrin asked leaving the effigy alone for the time being. He wanted to pull the entire effigy out of the ground, but Tipps interrupted the action.

"Potatoes," Tipps said with a plain stare.

Nivrin did not respond as quick as he would have liked. His face showed just how baffled he was at the thought, wondering if the Asura had a brain malfunction or if perhaps Tipps was hungry.

"Potatoes?" Dalvyr asked, too bewildered; he walked over to see what they were talking about.

"Yes. Potatoes." Tipps bent over and picked up a couple more. He threw one to Dalvyr, one to Chain, and the last to Nivrin.

Nivrin caught it and immediately knew why these potatoes were different.

"They are wooden," Chain said looking it over, "Are you positive these are even potatoes?"

"I am. Look at them in detail. They _are_ potatoes. I would know. Trust me," acclaimed the Asura with a quaint look. He loved potatoes. These were not the favorable vegetable Tipps knew and adored. They weren't made of the typical substance in which could be mashed, cut, or baked, but instead made of petrified wood, as if left there for centuries under the sun.

"No, the Asura is right. They are potatoes, but they are made of old wood," Nivrin said wondering of the timber vegetables.

"Maybe they are toys of sorts?" Dalvyr offered looking over his.

"I don't believe they are. Here, look at this one," Tipps said tossing another to Dalvyr.

"We came all this way for toy potatoes?" Verona asked now wondering again why she was in this forsaken jungle.

"Oh my!" Dalvyr said looking over the newly acquired potato.

"What is it Dal?" Nivrin and Arrik asked around the same time.

"This potato is half regular potato and half wooden, as if the wood part is a disease of sorts…"

Nivrin's look of confusion only heightened. "Give it here Dalvyr," Nivrin said hopping down from the middle mound of the prior Whispers Agent.

Dalvyr tossed it to Nivrin, where he got a better look.

"This is interesting. The potato is suffering from a wooden plague," Nivrin said watching the wooden parts creep its way over the potato.

"Is it related to Mordremoth?" Chain asked legitimately.

"Perhaps it is, we do not know. We only know these are wooden potatoes…" Nivrin responded.

"What of this? Maybe we are looking at a correlation between the Elder Dragon and these little finds," Kydrei said brushing dirt off something on the ground before him. The rest looks to see Kydrei pick up a limb; the arm had once belonged to one of the villagers, at least at first glance. The arm was intact and even had part of tattered clothing attached, however both cloth and flesh were made out of hardened dirt with vines entwined.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sworn asked looking it over.

"It is a limb off a villager, however I highly doubt the villagers were of the elemental type," Kydrei mentioned with dull humor.

Nivrin walked over to Kydrei with the rest not too far behind, also interested.

"See?" Kydrei said raising it, "It appears Sylvari, but earthen. Something is definitely amiss of all this. What lived here again Niv? My specialties lie in Cantha and the Tarnished Coast. Well, southern Tarnished Coast."

Nivrin looked to his avian companion, "Uh, mostly centaur and some humans," Nivrin said while baffled a little at the appendage.

"Humans -and- Centaurs?" Verona asked with doubt, "Highly unlikely. We've been at each other's throats for quite a long time now. A village with both living inside? No. Just no."

Verona. Those in this village were never part of that ongoing feud. They were among many villages in the area who still participated in druidic ways, much like Ventari. In fact, it is his ideals these miscellaneous groups and villages still practice." Nivrin looked back to the remains after talking to Verona. He was baffled and confused.

"Ventari?" Verona said, "Where have I heard that name?"

"It is the one our entire race has given thanks to. His teachings and writings are what we are all about." Dalvyr said recalling the tablet that hangs in the Omphalos Chamber back in the grove.

"Oh, that's right," she said nodding her head, "That guy. He was a centaur, right?"

"Yes," Dalvyr replied with a nod.

"Wait, so there's Humans and Centaurs living together out here in the wastes?" Chain asked wondering the same as Verona. He was a little slow at times, merely because of all the things running through his mind. That or all the battles fought in the Borderlands corrupting his mindset from properly functioning.

"Yes. There are many small villages and groups wandering around together that still practice his teachings and live by them. It is not just the Sylvari that admire him." Nivrin looked to the side after a few seconds, trying to correlate the druids of the era and the Elder Dragon.

"Centaur live out here?" Tipps asked remember seeing them when visiting Queensdale.

"Yes. Some too in other areas," Nivrin began.

"Those nasty creatures also infest the Shiverpeaks too in some areas…" Arrik chimed.

"They aren't just located around Queensdale and Kessex," Nivrin looked to Arrik after hearing his comment, "Or Shiverpeaks. These are the tribes that wandered this area back in the day. When the wastes were still green." Nivrin began to see an obvious connection in his mind after he spoke, but wondered of the details.

"Also, a reason why you do not see Sylvari in these parts is because these druidic orders around here give them exalted status, as if the personal army of mother nature herself. These groups feel they are unworthy of the Sylvari's presence and escort them away back towards the edge of the wastes, back into Brisban and Caledon," Kydrei added.

"That's odd. Why not worship them at that point?" Sworn asked not understanding how these druidic groups work.

"Because they instead worship nature and the natural order of the world. Sylvari are only born from what they worship, thus being seen on high esteem," Kydrei explained it perfectly.

"I thought the Centaur migrated over to Queensdale a long time ago…" Tipps thought aloud.

"Not all of them. You really expect _all_ of an entire race to just up and walk away from their homes? And at that collect to one central place?" Nivrin asked with a smile while dropping the half wooden potato.

"This isn't right…" Shathalia said with an arm out towards the rubble her servants were sifting through.

"Now what?" Nivrin said wondering just what Shathalia meant. He wanted to just study the arm Kydrei still held.

"My new companions were not only searching for evidence of this new dragon for me, but also moving stuff out of the way so I can make more minions… and…I'm unsure how many more complete minions I can conjure…"

"And what?" Nivrin asked seeing Shathalia falter in properly explaining herself.

"And I was only able to raise half of some of them, less of others..." Shathalia nodded to the one in which she originally made her comment from.

The undead stood on two blackened legs, however just above the stomach of this humanoid was a Sylvari-like body with dirt beneath it. It was limp and hanging over the risen part, as Shathalia had no control over the nature-corrupted parts.

"Wait, you can raise those Jungle Troll things we fought against?" Arrik asked looking it over still wondering why he was looking at it.

"No," Nivrin commented tilting his head, "Look at it with your eyes Norn, that is no Jungle Troll…" Nivrin said blinking realizing they had their first clue.

The body Shathalia had raised was part of a Centaur, only she could control the front two legs. The rest was made up of familiar foliage. Vines lined throughout, leaves and some flora abundant about the corpse, and hardened dirt caked underneath the rest of this risen half horse humanoid.

"Oh my Bear! It's a Sylvari Centaur!" Arrik said lowering his guard from amazement.

Nivrin darted his eyes to the minions Shathalia had already risen and noticed it wasn't just debris covering the all-black of each of their undead entirety, but instead was entwined into their makeup. They hadn't been completely turned by the nature spell, and yet Shathalia had control over the parts that weren't infested by the disease of the wild.

"We need to move out. Now," Nivrin said dropping the arm Kydrei found.

"Why?" Chain asked whipping out his greatsword as if it were time for a fight against enemies.

"Well, we don't have to. Unless you wish to be viney and full of dirt." Nivrin said as he turned his back and began heading towards the mountain range in the distance. Chain nodded, and put his greatsword at his back, following Nivrin. The rest too were soon leaving behind the buried village.

Verona gasped looking back to the dirt pile she had shifted with her foot. It didn't resemble a face because it was in fact someone's face before becoming completely made of soil and undergrowth .


	7. Chapter 7

7

"Why can't we walk out where there are no trees?" Revvo asked trying to push himself through a bunch of trees. He could barely see the clear path through the gaps in the foilage in the distance to the right, unsure why they were trying to make their way through the dense trees when they could walk easily and with no obstacles on the dirt ridden, open plain a few miles away.

"Because, out there we are open for attacks. Anything can see us," Amerial noted pointing to the vague beasts wandering in the far distance.

The group couldn't make out what they were exactly, only that they were big and not friendly, most likely.

"You forget these damned spiders?" Grebb said flinging sharpened stones towards a lone spider. It was foolish to think it could rush the group for a possible meal.

"They are much easier to deal with. Spiders are no challenge." Amerial smiled watching the spider collapse with the newly adorned chunks of rock protruding from its body randomly.

With each step they took southward, the jungle became more impassable. It was not so bad until the sun finally took its place in the sky adding its heat to the hardship of the journey. Between the packets of dense trees, the moist humid air, and the miscellaneous jungle creatures, mostly the spiders merely looking to feed, Amerial's group by far had it worse than the rest, especially since they could not stride in the open, flat plain of dirt not ridden with pockets of jungle trees per Amerial's orders.

"I haven't seen a damn thing the entire time, save these eight-legged pests!" William said crashing into a spider with his shield. After it was slain, he rampantly made his way through the thicket trying to make a way to walk.

"That's because you have been complaining the entire time," Grebb said weaving out of the way of jungle shrubs. His hands were parallel to the ground as he walked with a minute brown aura surrounding them.

"Shut up Grebb. You're used to the jungles. You Asura and Sylvari have it made out here." William wiped sweat from his face for the hundredth time in the past hour.

"I also have yet to notice anything out of the ordinary," Nikcoli said looking around. She had a faint smile on her face

"So Sonja, enough of the small talk," Gunnar started with a hearty smile, "What is your full name? I've not met such a," Gunnar began eyeing her body before continuing, "breath-taking woman before."

Gunnar Bjornjankin, a Norn from the more grassy regions of the Shiverpeaks, had quite the time on the journey so far. Despite the tiring, sweat-drenched journey, he found the trek quite amusing. This was mostly because there was a female Norn in the party and he had nobody to call his own. Mordremoth was the main mission, but Gunnar's side mission was Sonja.

Sonja shot him a glance of annoyance, but decided to play along. "Sonja Stromdottir, daughter of Strom Svaglin. Why? What is yours?" she asked not actually caring. She waved her hand in front of her, misting the area in which she walked. The cool breeze of icy mist she walked through sent a shiver down her spine, despite the heavy jungle heat.

"Gunnar. Gunnar Bjornjankin of the mighty Bear Spirit!" he boasted with a noble pose, "Strom Svaglin, eh? I recall that name from somewhere…" Gunnar mentioned looking away from where he was walking. His straying eyes caused him to trip over a root and fall right into a brush of leaves and webbing left behind from some spiders. Sonja laughed, as well as a couple others.

"Ugh, blach!" Gunnar shouted angrily because he fell. He tried to rid his face of the webbing before getting up.

"Pay a little more attention to where you walk and not so much on me, Gunnar. Be for the best anyways," Sonja said with a wink while moving right past him.

"Ah, but that is where you're wrong," Gunnar stubbornly started while hastily rising to his feet and rushing to keep up with Sonja, "I was too busy admiring your beauty to see the branch in my path."

Sonja rolled her eyes and she was thankful when William interrupted.

"My god man," William said with a crazed look of annoyance, dehydration, and a sleight tinge of crazy, "She isn't interested. Even I can tell that and I'm ready to collapse."

"You ok, William?" Kadra asked seeing his reddened cheeks and immense sweating.

"I believe so, yes. Probably the heavy armor. Just a little thirsty too." William began daydreaming in that moment of a nice ice-cold glass of water.

"We should stop and take a small break," Amerial said while looking around, "This patch isn't as littered with trees as in other areas and William looks ready to face-plant like Gunnar did."

Gunnar grumbled as the rest chuckled. William immediately sat and rested his head over a low branch. Looking up, he began to cackle lightly at the situation and recalling Gunnar's trip.

"From the looks of it, we're near Brisban, right?" Revvo asked seeing familiar brush and landscape.

"I do not think we are close to Brisban," Amerial said. She began moving and twisting her body to make up for her body shriveling slightly due to the immense heat and lack of hydration.

"Closest part of Brisban we are near is Vandal's and the Proxemics, and those are some ways away. We passed them a while back, closer to The Grove and Rata Sum I'd say now," Grebb said looking at the vaguely familiar mountain ranges in the distance.

Amerial went to add her two cents, but her head snapped to the left as she sensed something. She lifted her bow and let loose a few arrows to the Maguuma jungle spiders descending from the treetops. After they fell from their descent, the rest of the group that were still standing slew them out of boredom.

"I am -sick- of these spiders," Grebb noted after hearing William laugh and mumble something through the laughter.

"It is the jungle. And it appears we are in their territory," Kadra noted pointing upward at the vast circuit of webbing stringing along the tree tops hidden behind the tree leaves.

"Regardless. They need to-," Grebb started before William began to really lose his mind. He just kept laughing.

"I think he really needs water…" Amerial said before searching through her pack.

"I got it," Sonja said waving her hands in the air towards William. Just above his mouth a globe of water began to form. It swished and twirled about, letting go some icy drops atop William, who loved every cool touch.

"Ah yes, give me some imaginary water!" William said trying to eat the entire globe of water. His laughter stopped with the first drop that touched his tongue.

"It isn't imaginary William," Sonja noted, "it's merely conjured. Big difference. You were drinking imaginary water before I produced any."

William kept his mouth open as water poured from the spherical fountain into his mouth. Little by little, his thirst was being quenched as the rest of them looked on more than envious.

"Might we have some of that Sonja?" Grebb asked licking his lips. Although Grebb too was an elementalist, his specialty was the earth and dirt and crystals, not water.

"Of course. You all can." Sonja widened her open hand as the sphere of water grew in size. After a few more seconds, water poured in many directions, watering the thirsty group. Their faces of sweat and exhaustion turned to that of a normal, well cooled one, as if in a proper ventilated home. Nikcoli was the only one not involving herself in the water gorge.

"You taste delicious, Sonja of water!" Gunnar said before realizing what he said was inappropriate. He choked on some water before he could talk and apologize.

"Wow man… You try too much," William said nearly sated of water.

"You do not want any Nikcoli?" Sonja asked ignoring Gunnar's comment. She was almost offended at Nikcoli not wanting any. Nikcoli was Sylvari and didn't want to moisturize her body with magic.

"I am fine. I am used to this area," she said looking around. Amerial and a few others looked to her.

"You've been out here before?" Amerial asked now questioning how and why Nikcoli might have been this far.

"I was just going to ask the same thing…" William stated while unable to sit up due to the bulk of fresh liquid in his stomach.

"Not this area exactly," she said now feeling as if she was being interrogated, "but some many yards from Brisban." Nikcoli felt the unsettling tension and could only stand there absorbing the piercing gazes.

"The outskirts of Brisban is bandit controlled or Nightmare Court territory." Amerial said with poise in the topic.

"Which do you hail from?" Kadra asked Nikcoli with a hint of anger in case they were all being duped by this necromancer.

Nikcoli looked to Kadra and then the rest of the group. She felt guilty and sighed. "Well, if you must know, I was once of the Court."

Gasps came out and Amerial drew her bow again. "Once? Not how it works. _Once_ you're part of the court, you are corrupted and cannot reclaim yourself."

"Not true," Nikcoli spoke as she tried to calm them while she looked over at Kadra's rifle pointed at her, Amerial's bow, and a ready William with shield and sword.

"It is true. Many in the Nightmare Court are evil, twisted and tainted in their ways, but not everyone," Nikcoli pleaded, "Many of us believe in the court's ideal, free of Ventari's tablet and free to not be bound to the bonds in which we are born. This same group also isn't evil, or at least trying to corrupt everything. There is a group within the Nightmare Court who merely want to be free from Ventari's teachings and go along with the Nightmare because there is no other option for them. At least, that's what I believed."

Amerial aimed but was not ready to fire just yet. She wanted to hear whatever excuse Nikcoli could muster. "No other option? There is always another option."

"Amerial, by merely being a Sylvari means for us to _always_ consort with the Dream and take root with the Grove. I do not wish to take root, but travel. Explore. See what there is to see. Be free of Ventari and come up with my own philosophy, however anyone I wish to talk to about it within the grove call me a traitor and label me as such for just expressing how I truly feel."

"What of your Wyld Hunt, necromancer?" Amerial asked almost ignoring Nikcoli's plea.

"My Wyld Hunt I have seen. It also has to do with the Nightmare Court, sadly."

Amerial huffed and pulled an arrow out and got ready to load it into place to let fly. "Was it to corrupt and taint other Sylvari into their cause? Was this what you have seen?"

"I no longer corrupt others or kill for the court. No longer am a Knight, Nikcoli of Carrion. I am merely me. A dark Sylvari looking for a better life, not of Nightmare looking to taint." Nikcoli raised her arms defensively, trying to show she was not a threat.

"Stop it bookahs," Grebb said standing in front of Nikcoli. Despite not actually covering the rifle or bows line of firing because of his stature, Grebb opened his arms and stood in front of the Sylvari in question as if he was tall enough to block any incoming attacks.

"For what reason Asura? A traitor is a traitor. She might backstab us," Gunnar said unsheathing his short bow to also take aim.

"I was once Inquest, but I am no longer part of their ways of life. Do you toss me out of the group like you all wish to do with her as well?" Grebb looked angered that such rash judgments were given from the others.

"I don't know," Gunnar said while aiming a little lower, "You both could be in cohorts for all we know!" Gunnar took notice of Sonja now looking at him through his peripherals. He felt the look Sonja gave and smiled, knowing it began in his mind. Her head in his direction only meant she was looking at him with admiration and the faint attraction he wanted from her. Her stare was all he needed to boast higher in tallness and grinning.

"What if I was technically part of the Sons of Svanir merely because of my father?" Sonja said while walking up to Grebb and Nikcoli. Gunnar felt his stomach turn and heart sink, no more could he sustain the butterflies and arrogant eminence.

"Strom Svaglin…," Gunnar started, "-That's- where I know that name. Your father was one of the generals for the Svanir. You outlasted him I see."

"I did, but I did not take up his mantle," Sonja said crossing her arms.

"You're female, not like you could take up his mantle if you wanted to," Gunnar said with a smile.

"I'd not want to. I am not with them any longer or associated with them," Sonja defended.

"How do we know for sure?"Gunnar asked with a quirk in his face.

"Just because I was born into their ranks does not mean I belong to them anymore." Sonja planted a firm foot down, showing just how passionate she was about their ambiguous stares.

"Why don't we finish this another time," Kadra offered while looking upward with hesitation.

"What?" Gunnar asked looking over to Kadra, despising being interrupted.

William looked to Kadra and saw her stare did not gaze to the possible traitors, but upward. He too aligned his eyes with hers and gasped.

"Are you jesting me? _More_ spiders?" William shouted raising his shield.

"Now that's more than the usual three to four…" Revvo said reaching for his sides seeing about ten of them beneath the webbing coating the treetops.

The group as a whole armed themselves. Kadra whipped around her rifle pointing it up, Amerial and Gunnar their bows aimed high, Nikcoli her scepter, Revvo his pistols, and Grebb and Sonja with their hands at the mass of creatures. The pact of adventurers eagerly waited for the spiders to start dropping down to them, but the spiders stopped and merely starred at the group instead.

"What are they doing?" Revvo asked wondering just what these spiders were doing.

"Yeah, they are creatures of habit: kill, eat, sleep, mate, and repeat. Nothing more…" Grebb said watching them.

Slowly more spiders began to emerge from the webbing spread throughout the treetops, growing in their numbers. None provoked, none moved once in position.

"Wait," Nikcoli said inspecting them further, "those aren't the usual jungle spiders…"

"Befall upon them!" cried a deep female voice from in the distance in front of them. The group all looked to the voice having not expected to hear anything, let alone anyone, out in the jungle.

A lean plant-body frame sat atop a larger than average spider. Thick leathers adorned both her and her spider mount, colored in black, purple, green and gold with accents of red. Tendrils protruded fashionably from her attire, mimicking both spider legs and spikes.

"Venassi…" Nikcoli mustered while looking at her in the distance, uncaring spiders were now making their way towards her and the rest of the group.

"Who?" Amerial asked now wondering if this was an ambush set by Nikcoli. She began picking off the spiders nearing the group, though weary of her supposed ally.

"She is a of the court. One of the many under Faolin. The Duchess of Venom," Nikcoli averted her gaze upward while raising her scepter, "Those are Nightmare spiders."

The spiders began to come all at once instead of a few here and there. As they got closer, each spider started to spit a thin layer of green atop the group, covering them like a blanket.

William rose his shield, blocking the substance. He darted over hearing small cries of pain and shouts of alarm.

"It burns!" Revvo said trying to shake it off, as if shaking would do the trick. The substance was quite sticky and pained at the touch.

"Their venom! Watch out!" William cried before realizing he was the only one without green on him. Their cries of pain and stinging made William wish he was more of a healing guardian than one of defensive capability. He threw up a hand causing a small cryptic symbol to appear over his unit's heads, only helping their anguish a little.

The small ease of pain William gave the party gave them all some time to attack. Amerial loosing arrows into nearby spiders, she could only fell so many before falling to one knee from the poison.

Nikcoli appeared to not be as hindered by the venom, wielding a wide ribbon of black and dark green with her sceptor. With a flick of a wrist, the ribbon of unholy magic coursed through a mass of spiders. The cloud of disease she bore caused the spiders to be in pain by their screeching and wobbling.

Sonja rose up from her pain, the green poison being soaked up by her conjured waters, and shouted angrily with a visage matching her anger. "Damn foul creatures!"

A large surge of water erupted from her hands as she widened them, covering the entire group with the outer bands of the water, also colliding into the spiders that were close to being right on top of them. With the tide of water splashing against each member of her company, their pains healed and the venom vanished. The surge that hit the spiders not only knocked them back away from the recuperating group, but also caused some grief as well with the magical properties of her conjured substance.

"Oh, my…" Gunnar emoted soaked and refreshed while fumbling to his feet. Not putting two and two together in his mind properly before talking, he decided to comment, "Your juices from in you are all too enticing, the vigor I get from it is amazing."

"Let's focus on the threat here Norn," William said shaking his head wondering how the Norn male could think of such inappropriate thoughts at a time like this.

Two spiders skittered towards the group from the ground, causing Revvo to leap back while firing his pistols at them. Kadra littered the air in front of three other spiders with an array of bullets and metal, impacting harshly with the furry legged creatures.

William slashed away at one spider while keeping another at bay by bashing it in the face with his shield.

"And I was starting to think that this was to be a boring journey!" Gunnar said firing an arrow directly through three of the four legs on the right side of the spider he focused on.

"It still is, who said otherwise Gunnar?" William commented slashing away at more spiders.

As the spiders met the ground, they started at the group messily , and then started crawling over each other to try and get to the group, frenzied in their attacks.

"Will," Grebb said crouching down on the ground. Once William looked, Grebb nodded. William did the same and made his way over to Grebb, fending off any arachnids who might be out for the little one.

Grebb began focusing with a hand extended directly below to the ground on which he stood. The earth surrounding him began to move and rumble. Rocks and dirt began to swirl around and form a growing wave of magic beneath the top layer of the ground, causing the dirt and jungle debris atop it to churn and contort to its power. The surging wave from Grebb made its way outward in a ring beneath their feet, slowly enveloping the group and then many spiders. As it got far enough, Grebb slammed the ground with an open palm, causing the ground to rupture upward rocky spurs. The earth churned up jagged rocks and funneled dirt in that instant, mostly piercing and puncturing many spiders, while crushing others between colliding rocks. The spiders that were not punctured or hit but the churned earth were instead bleeding from the amount of small sharp stones and jungle debris flung outward by Grebb's spell. Grebb's allies were fine, untouched by the churn.

"Good to see someone's using their head," Revvo said nodding to the fellow Asura. Grebb smiled.

There were still spiders making their way to the group, but not nearly as many as there were at first.

"Enough games my arachnids," Venassi approached the group on her enormous spider mount, slowly, as if taking in the victory. The other spiders that had not yet seen action began to make a circle around the group and began spitting a type of green liquid towards them, causing the group to come together in a circular defensive fashion.

"Venassi," Nikcoli said as her hands glowed behind her back, "Do you remember me?" Nikcoli wanted to cause a distraction, hopefully giving the group some time to think.

Venassi leered over humorously. It was not her place to remember faces. Seeing Nikcoli's face, she became surprised in that instant. "I can say that I do. You were the Knight of Carrion, right? You became a Knight back with the Knight of Rot, Knight of Illusions, and the Knight of Embers, well, she has perished since then, but yes. I do recall you actually."

"Good. Nice to know my face hasn't become forgotten." Nikcoli smirked in that conceited moment.

"You are still of the court then…" Amerial said to Nikcoli raising her bow towards her.

Nikcoli whipped back to Amerial and hid her hand from Venassi's sight. She pointed to the Nightmare Court duchess with a ring displacement of green in her hand. "I am not. I am no longer their kindred."

"I have to disagree… you led us to her." Amerial played wondering what Nikcoli was up to. Either way her bow was aimed and ready.

"I did not! I-" Nikcoli started.

"Technically she is right Knight of Carrion," Venassi added with a grin.

"I am no longer the Knight of Carrion, Venassi," Nikcoli said with vigor in the subject, "I am known now as Nikcoli, successor of Nikcoli Tearth, great necromancer of the past."

"I do not recite the name so easily," Venassi said uncaring of her history, "Tell me why I should know the name."

"Well," Nikcoli started turning to her side, "She was a human and lived in the time of The Searing. Frequented the catacombs of the abbey in Ashford, both after and before the land burned, broadening her use of undead and how to wield the power" she exclaimed while concentrating a black veil beneath her palms, "She was a good friend to Munne in her life, and eventually explored the lands around Tyira perfecting her necromantic ways through help of others throughout her travels."

"And how do you know all this or why even care?" Venassi amused putting a hand up to the spiders who were eagerly waiting to attack.

"Because the Pale Tree gave me her memories and her life experiences and I believe it's for a reason. Part of my Wyld Hunt."

"You are no Courtier, speaking of Wyld Hunts and the Pale Tree. I will enjoy this," Venassi said shaking her head.

"You're absolutely right about the one part Venassi," Nikcoli said with a grin.

"One part?" Venassi wondered aloud still holding her spiders back with a wavered hand.

Nikcoli looked to her allies and then back to Venassi, "Yes. I will enjoy this," Nikcoli said as she let loose her black and green blast.

The only reaction Venassi had within the few seconds before the blast hit herwas the widening of her eyes. The blast of unholy connected with Venassi and sent her some yards off her mount, which had rolled over out of surprised stupor and being hit a little by the knockback.

"Be aware!" William shouted as the spiders skittered at them angrily.

Amerial managed to fire one arrow before bashing at a spider with the end of her bow, not expecting them to be at her so fast. William cleaved into a spider going towards Amerial, but found the carapace not nearly as fragile as the last hundred spiders he slain in the jungle. Bashing it aside, watching it get back up, William sighed.

"These Nightmare ones are a bit more tough!" William shouted attacking away with his sword.

"I see that!" Gunnar said watching his arrows bounce off their backside.

"Magic works -much- better," Grebb mocked watching claws he made of soil and jungle brush grasp a couple spiders and then bring them back into the ground, crushing them in the descent.

"I must agree," Sonja commented watching her globes of water latched at the mouths of the arachnids, suffocating a few.

"Iron," Kadra started while blasting away with her rifle, loving each moment her shredding metal pierced through each spider she shot at, "is also well suited to tear through their membrane."

"Gloat more," William voiced agitated while swiping without avail at a couple spiders. He was good enough to dodge their pesky bites, but not powerful enough to break through their exterior.

Nikcoli leered back, smiling while watching her comrades converse, but as she looked back towards the Duchess, she watched Venassi's mount loom over her. Panicking, Nikcoli spit out a spell from her hands, but tripped mid way causing it to fizzle as she fell to the ground. She looked up to see the armored spider come at her, but only for a few seconds until shots were fired at it.

"Bookah!" Revvo said to Nicoli while firing away at the mount with his pistols.

The massive spider screeched while backing up. After a few seconds of this, it curled up and leaned to the side, as if dead.

"You ok Sylvari?" Revvo said placing his pistols in their holsters.

"I-I am fine," Nikcoli softly stated. She could feel in her body just how close she was to dying and it did not feel good. She looked up to the Asura and smiled, glad he came to her rescue.

"You have to watch behind you, Bookah."

"I know, I just-" Nikcoli started, but stopped. Her eyes widened.

Nikcoli watched Revvo get impaled and lifted off his feet into the air. Two furry appendages firmly rested jutting through his middle. Revvo could not move or comprehend what just happened.

"No!" Nikcoli shouted seeing the horror. She had seen death many times before, but not to a comrade she had just met and begun to put up with.

Revvo began to squirm and scream in immense pain, as his mind finally grasped the situation he was in. Just as fast as his screams started, they stopped. The spider mount had begun to pick at its fangs with its two closest tendrils, not only removing the food it had stuck in its teeth, but also separating it into smaller pieces for easier chewing.

"Fellow Asura! NO!" Grebb shrieked unable to comprehend what just happened.

All attacks by the group now concentrated on Venassi's mount while they attempted to avenge their fallen friend. They dodged the other spiders as best they could, but felt obligated to bring down the giant spider. The anger in which they felt could not be matched in the moment.

"String them up!" Venassi shouted nearing the group again, "Clever use of Nightmare tactics Knight of Carrion, but I will not sit here and play when you cannot play by the rules."

Nikcoli responded by weaving another blast of necrotic energy towards Venassi, but she easily dodged it this time.

"Fall upon them my champions! We take them to Faolin! One of them must know the Harbinger's location."

Filled with vengeful anger, most of the Forefront group attacked Venassi and her mount as best they could before becoming overrun with spiders. There were a few cries and some trying to escape, like the mighty Gunnar, but between the masses of spiders that seemingly came out of the jungle woodwork and now about five arachnids that matched Venassi's mount in both size and armor, they could not even attempt an escape.

"Mph Mofbur," William emoted while wrapped up unable to move. Beneath the webbing, a smile coated his face when he saw Venassi's mount.

Missing a leg, on its back with pieces of earth and slices in it, and twitching in its last breathes of life, vengeance was granted and served by the trapped members of the Forefront.

A ray of sunlight hit the husk of the dead spider, shining off its carapace in such a fashion that it reminded William he had the flare to use in case they were in danger.

"Bmnit," he emoted realizing it was too late and also at the fact he was the only one to remember they even had the devices.


	8. Chapter 8

8

"This heat is ridiculous," Sir Salreznar shouted in such a manner that it was as if he thought the heat itself should feel guilty for making him uncomfortable, "Hold for a minute my subjects, I must cool off."

The royalist and the three with him stopped where they were and let the group move ahead.

"Should we be stopping again, sir?" Glyndra asked worried one of the others might attack Salreznar based on Skarr's actions the day prior.

"Yes, my lord," Hurk, the scrawny, loyal, and timid servant responded, "Perhaps we should continue.

The other among the royalist, Carnell, Salreznar's historian, informant, and cartographer, just nodded.

"I don't see why we can't stop for but a few moments. I'm tired of walking on. Aren't you three tired of walking?" Salreznar asked from atop his Asura made device. It was essentially a mini throne chair that hovered slightly above the ground. All it needed was a push from Hurk every now and then. It was even equipped with a small canopy that prevented direct sun from hitting him.

"I guess, yes. My legs are a little tired," Glyndra responded, giving into thoughts of laziness and fatigue.

Bane approached the four from behind them, purposely bringing up the rear, so that he would not be forced to speak with anyone. Bane's loner tendencies becoming prevalent already.

"You guys should really keep going," Bane commented once getting to the four. "Skarr isn't the understanding type from what I can tell."

"Hurk, fetch me my Asura device," Salreznar said ignoring Bane. Hurk took off the backpack he carried, which weighed more than half his own weight in Salreznar 'necessities', and began to rummage through it.

"Where are we anyways?" Salreznar asked Carnell while looking out at the surroundings while waiting on Hurk to find the device.

The dry terrain in which Skarr's group travelled gave hardly any shelter from the scorching sun. Large rock formations were scattered throughout the terrain, being the size of dwarfed mountains, but so numerous they were like pebbles about the plain.. The two closest formations were a bigger rock structure that was running alongside their trek to the right, and another about the same size a half a mile away resembling a head of sorts. The one immediately to the right resembled the base of a large ship. Besides these two huge formations, the groups's view to the surrounding area stretched for miles and miles.

"I-I don't know sire, this is all new to me," Carnell responded with ink and paper handy, "I think we're somewhere not mapped out yet."

"Are you jotting all this down?" Salreznar asked, actually interested.

"I-I am. It is an intriguing place and much different from maps made of the area from many years ago."

"Good. If Divinity's Reach needs names for anything out here, mine will be the first to be used," Salreznar said with a quaint, arrogant smile. He began mumbling names to himself, such as 'Salreznar Wastes' and 'Salreznar Expanse'.

The area itself was actually the location of a petrified forest, at one time hundreds of years ago being part of the Maguuma Jungle, now fallen to arid atrophy by some means. The only evidence of this area once being a forest were the stone-like tree husks strewn throughout the area. The group thought the trees were the rare Stonewood material used in advanced weaponry and armors.

"Which device Sir?" Hurk asked finding more than just one Asura device, "You have a few Asura ones."

Sir Salreznar looked to his servant with the utmost disgust, "Can you not see the sweat on my forehead? Which device do you think would help he in my predicament, Hurk?"

Hurk lowered his head in disappointment with himself and rummaged through the backpack more. He found the device that Salreznar originally wanted and handed it to him.

"Much better. Next time you do not know what I mean, Glyndra here will give you something to remember." Salreznar inserted the device into his forearm as Glyndra nodded and glared at Hurk. The grin on Salreznar's face extended at the thought of Hurk getting hurt in some manner. It grew wider as the device began to cool Salreznar off from inside his body, making the heat sweltering around them a memory.

"Why are we stopped again, Salreznar?" Skarr interrupted from a couple yards away, having turned around to see the four. The rest of the Forefront ahead of Salreznar's human group stopped as well.

"Why not?" Salreznar retorted.

"Because we have to move on. Keep going." Skarr said somewhat politely despite not wanting to.

"Can we not stop?" Salreznar asked putting his head back slightly, enjoying the coolness within his body from the Asura coolant, "Just need to rest my legs and cool off."

Skarr could feel his blood begin to boil from agitation, not heat, seeing his annoyance in a hovering throne compared to the rest of his entourage. "We keep this up, we won't find a damn thing out here Salreznar, all thanks to you."

"Have you been looking?" Salreznar asked snidely with closed eyes, enjoying the cooling agent coursing through his veins. "What about the animal and his death pets you sent ahead of us? Maybe they found something"

"We all have been looking, except you and your goons," Skarr said nicely wanting only to let his anger flow in the form of words, but Skarr figured he'd stay forgiving for a little longer. It was to be a long journey. "And I sent Cravisk and his _pets_ ahead because he is good at scouting," Skarr replied with a huff, but it ended with a slight snarl. "I ask again, why are we stopped? Everyone is stopped now thanks to you."

"I am hot. I am just trying to cool myself off, Charr. Calm your horns, we will be off again shortly." Salreznar still had yet to open his eyes and even glance at the peeved Charr that was about to walk his way.

Skarr closed his eyes and took a deep breath before covering his face with his open hand. "We are _all_ hot Salreznar and every time you stop it pushes us farther from our goal."

"My goal currently is to stay cool, that is precisely what I am accomplishing. What have you accomplished aside from fuss at me over resting my legs?" Salreznar commented sitting on his hovering throne.

Skarr snapped at Salreznar's remark, but had enough wit to not to act physically. "Get moving or I will give you a lump on the other side of your head to match the one I gave you earlier." Skarr withdrew his Greatsword and looked to Glyndra, "Don't even try and stop me, it won't work."

Sir Salreznar finally looked up wide eyed at Skarr before narrowing his eyes. He looked at Glyndra, his guard, and realized she could only do so much to protect him against the massive Charr. "Let's move then, since the Charr is getting antsy."

The group began to move again, but this time Skarr made sure to be behind Salreznar and his gang to ensure no more stops. He so badly wanted to unleash his Blood Legion ethics on the royalist, but kept his cool. Sighing, Skarr glanced behind himself. Seeing Bane, Skarr smiled. It was time to cool his nerves and mess with a fellow Charr. He slowed his pace to let Bane catch up until they were side by side.

"Hot enough for you?" Skarr sarcastically asked studying the possible Flame Legion Charr.

"Not nearly," Bane commented back.

Skarr snorted, "Well, I would assume one of the Flame Legion would like it hotter."

Bane sternly glared over at Skarr. "I am not Flame Legion. How many times must I tell you this in a single day…I am Ash Legion."

"Not anymore, sure. I get it. Don't want to blow your cover, I understand. Flame turns to Ash, I get it," Skarr commented.

Bane took a deep breath and sighed, "Skarr, I do not want any trouble. I just want to look for evidence of the elder dragon, take it, and get back before dusk."

"Have plans elsewhere for later tonight?" Skarr kept watching the eye movements and gestures Bane made with each comment.

"Not exactly, but I do want to get back at some point." Bane just looked forward now, not caring what Skarr had to say on the subject. This riveted Skarr.

"So, what was it like being in the Citadel each day?" Skarr asked placing a hand on Bane's shoulder.

Bane pulled his arm away and shook his head, now walking up towards the rest of the group. He cooled his own nerves and felt good that he was able to control his flames from erupting at his shoulder so Skarr would not be burned.

"What? Bad experiences there or something?" Skarr shouted with a grin that followed.

"So, where are we heading again," Aerion asked aloud hearing Skarr's shout, thinking it an opportunity to talk. He stopped and turned to Skarr, causing Calla to do the same, "I can literally see almost everything around us and nothing looks interesting at all."

The open petrified forest showed for miles in all directions, save to the right where the ship-like rock formation blocked their view. This formation would end in a few yards if they kept up their pace.

"Do us a favor and don't get bored, Aer," Calla called softly to Aerion hearing that familiar tone in his voice.

"Yeah, too late for that, Cal," Aerion commented before Skarr caught up with Bane and the rest of the group.

"Just keep heading straight until we run into some kind of clue," Skarr said with a blank stare out into the empty path before him.

"You've _got _ to be kidding," Calla said before seeing Skarr's gaze turn to her, "_That's_ our plan?"

"I am not kidding," Skarr stated with stern look, grimacing his teeth, "Do you have a better plan?"

Calla looked to Skarr for a few moments, taking in the decision to just walk forward, and then to Aerion, who gave her an inquisitive look.

"Don't look at me, I'm along for the fun of it," Aerion said twisting about his hand in a circular motion, obviously conjuring forth winds to his palm.

Sighing, Calla looked out to the endless plain of scattered rocks of all sizes. "Alright, forward it is."

"Why are we stopped?" Sir Salreznar asked snidely from behind them, "We'll never see any clues at this rate."

Skarr twitched at the ironic comment. He turned around to Salreznar and felt another twitch in his left eye.

"Skarr, calm down," Aerion said with his palm towards Skarr.

"He just needs a few 'scars' to teach him how to talk and walk with a Charr of the Blood legion, Aerion. I can easily provide such services…" Skarr mentioned while still twitching.

Before the angry Charr could finish whipping out his greatsword and charging at Salreznar, he was blown back many yards in the direction they were supposed to be walking.

"Damnit Skarr, don't make me do this," Aerion grumbled lowering his palm.

Calla looked back to Salreznar, who looked surprised, yet happy. "He doesn't mean to be so rude," Calla offered.

"Do I?" the royalist commented with a spiteful grin and eyes half closed.

The Charr got up, faced the group he travelled with, and shook his head. Skarr began to snarl some but stopped abruptly noticing something in the distance in his peripherals now that he was past the ship-like boulder.

"We've been going the wrong way all this time?" Skarr commented under his breath while starring to his left, though everyone else from far away only heard mumbles. His entirety began to move and contort in a rash manner, obviously flustered about something other than the royalist he wanted dead.

"What?" Calla shouted, wondering what was going on.

"We've been going the wrong way this whole time!" Skarr bellowed after his assertion in all his Charr glory and unleashed a clenched fist to the nearby rock formation in fury.

"What do you mean?" Aerion shout-asked before Calla could ask.

"I can see the Grove from here! This whole time we've been walking down the other side of Brisban!" Skarr shouted looking to his left with disgust. He roared again in anger.

"That doesn't make sense…" Calla wondered aloud to Aerion.

"The Grove? The Sylvari tree? Out here?" said Carnell, finally finding the courage to talk out loud since Skarr was far from the group.

"That's what Skarr says," Salreznar commented to his loyal human companion.

"I have to see this with my own eyes," Aerion said now rushing along with Calla to see what Skarr could saw.

Both Calla and Aerion hastened their way to Skarr as Bane and Carnell walked. Salreznar, Hurk, and Glyndra stayed put.

"So Glyndra of Kessex," Salreznar started knowing this would probably take a while, "Can you cook? I was merely wondering myself because I do think you are quite-"

"That is -not- the Grove…" Calla remarked aloud and in a frightening manner, interrupting Salreznar's ploy of courting Glyndra.

"Very correct," Carnell said with widened eyes, "It looks nothing like the Grove, but it does at the same time. How fascinating!" Carnell began to flip around some parchment he had and began to draw what he saw.

The massive tree about thirty or so miles away was more than evident. It rose past a mountain range in the distance and stood proud against the Wastes, as if a beacon telling how nature can overcome the curse of the arid area.

"Why does it resemble a mushroom more than a tree?" Bane commented seeing the massive growth for what it was.

"My word!" Carnell gasped, "It -is- a mushroom! Look at it! It's a mushroom with branches and what looks like a little bit of foliage! It's almost a mushroom tainted with vines and leaves… How amazing nature can be!" Carnell began to erase at what he was drawing to make corrections.

"You know," Aerion began now looking away in thought, "Priory has record of a Sylvari venturing onto Caledon that apparently knew nothing of the Sylvari Dream and the Ventari Tablet, telling he hailed from another tree this way. This could be his tree. His Grove."

Carnell gasped again, "I believe it is located in a pocket farther above where The Wilds are on the old map I have of this area!"

"The Wilds?" Calla asked wondering what the babbling human meant.

"Yes! It was evidently a lush part of the forest at one time. Good to see something able to survive and grow out here."

"Anything we should know about these Wilds?" Skarr curiously asked to Carnell.

At first, Carnell hesitated, but figured it would prove much better to answer the scary Charr than to not respond out of fright. "N-Nothing out of the ordinary. From what I gathered, there is something about a shiny blade there, um, something about chosen or whatnot. Nothing interesting from the history books, but this," Carnell motioned to the giant flora in the distance, "This is magnificent!"

"Is this a clue?" Bane asked realizing it would take until at least dusk to even reach the massive mushroom-tree going at a steady pace, without Salreznar stops.

"I'm not sure," Skarr responded with a questionable look, "It sure is noteworthy though."

"Sho is the fact we're being watched," Cravisk mentioned walking up from the right of everyone's view left to the tree. He had stepped out from behind a rock formation with his pets and walked to them in their stare to the great tree afar. Cravisk was done scouting.

"Welome back," Aerion said with a small smile.

"Noteworthy? Also draw worthy as well!" Carnell said excitedly still mapping and tracing it from his view of it, not hearing Cravisk due to his excitement.

"Being watched?" Skarr asked withdrawing his greatsword.

"Careful Shkarr," Cravisk said with a slight gesture to him, "He aredy knows I am watching him. We not need to let him know we are alsho watching him."

"Where is he?" Skarr asked looking around with his eyes only.

Cravisk only looked up in the direction of where the watcher was with his eyes, no head movements. Salreznar was still too busy wooing Glyndra while Hurk and Glyndra were too busy with Salreznar to notice or concern themselves. The ones that cared began to find ways to look in that direction, save Aerion.

"I can get a better eye on him," Aerion commented while grinning.

"How you do?" Cravisk asked with a raised ridge just below his right horn, where the eyebrow would be if he had eyebrows.

"Air is a wondrous thing Cravisk…" Aerion began to swirl unseen winds by his hands and then closed his eyes. Within a few seconds, his body dispersed into the surrounding sky.

Humid strands whipped through Aerion maliciously at his new essence. He could feel the air trying to pull at him every which way, however through focusing, he collected together in the air. He felt free and like the vast sky was in his reach, like swimming in a vast ocean of air, born anew in his elemental form. Below him were his Forefront partners in their physical variety. Aerion realized why he casted his spell in the first place and targeted the silhouette above the large head-shaped boulder. He advanced irregularly forth embracing the sky sea, coursing through his being at the force of the movement, convening just before the mysterious profile.

Before Aerion can get a good look, the hooded figure swiped at him with a simple hand gesture causing an array of feeling to emerge within Aerion before his physical formed right where he was just before he cast the elemental spell.

"Ugh, whoa," Aerion forced out before coughing.

Aerion wheezed hard coming to, not realizing fully what just happened aside form that he just needed to breathe. He fell to his knees gasping and grasping for air, even magically forcing a small pocket of wind to blow not only upon him, but the entire party quite forcefully without knowing.

"Aerion!?" Calla asked covering her face from the sand and dust, "Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah," Aerion said still panting heavily, "I'm good, I'm good."

"What was that?" Skarr asked wondering how Aerion disappeared and reappeared.

"I used the wind to gain access to a closer view," he responded holding himself up against his knees.

"And?" Cravisk asked wondering just who or what the onlooker was.

"And I didn't get to make out much," Aerion said, finally standing on his own. "He isn't just some plain walker or random inhabitant from around these dead parts."

"How can you make that assumption?" Calla asked with a raised brow.

Aerion turned and looked to the figure still standing on the edge of the formation in the distance. They all aligned with him, now everyone watching the person as he ultimately stared back.

"I know this because he took me out of my Air form," Aerion then realized how weak he sounded in that moment, "Not that it's hard to do, but he knew I was at least there."

"Sure…" Calla said still staring up at the figure.

"What did you shee up d'ere?" Cravisk really wanted to know something about the one watching him.

"All I saw was someone in all white that was hooded, had a cape to about his lower legs and gold accents to the clothes. Even wore a white mantle."

"Hmm. White and gold? What faction wears-" Calla started before they all watched the figure turn around sharply. It then looked to have leapt off the side of the cliff.

"Uh, what was-" Skarr started before seeing flashes. One at his side and one out of the corner of his eye.

"Someone's in trouble…" Aerion said withdrawing the Priory, Asura-made flare flashing. Skarr took his out too and just looked at it, expecting to see something.

Before anyone could speak on the topic or question why the mysterious figure would jump off the side of a cliff that high up, the group heard a loud crash. The noise rippled through the arid terrain, blaring in mechanical, yet magical eminence.

Everyone of the Forefront with Skarr looked over at the noise. There was an electrical current visible through the air in the vicinity of the boom with blue, Asura magics swelling. Within a millisecond of the sight, familiar faces appeared from the field of energy running for their lives. Immediately after, Skarr's party also now saw what Hrafn's group were running from in all its tangled, spiny, multiple-teethed splendor.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Upon first glance the eerily recognizable sight prevented Arrik from doing much of anything. Stopped in his tracks, all movements ceased in mid stare. The same trail he traversed many years ago showed from beneath the foliage and what remained of the jungle. Memories ran rampant in his mind, making him realize the last time he was here was with Dwibb and Rylon. He also realized he had to catch up, as everyone was making their way towards the path, thought they had not yet seen it. Arrik sighed heavily before building enough courage to speak.

"So, Niv, are we walking straight into that mountain or what?" Arrik joked with the tinge of concern. He brushed his off-white bangs to the side to get a better look at the memorable mountainside, trying to hide the dread in his ice blue eyes.

The thick dense jungle they were walking through and had become accustomed to traveling in had dwindled to nothing but a few random trees scattered scarcely through their path. The land turned into a different terrain slowly and revealed the path Arrik once treaded.

"I do not think we can go directly through it," Verona said before Nivrin could respond.

"We might have a chance if Grebb was here," Dalvyr said attempting at a joke. He had not fully understood some mannerisms of humor, or how it worked, but knew it was afoot somewhere within this new conversation.

"We could climb it," Sworn offered with little interest from his suggestion. He didn't mean for it to be funny, but offered up a simple suggestion. The crimson eyes standing out from his dark fur leered at his companions as some of them chuckled at his comment.

Kydrei looked to Nivrin while waiting for a response, as the others chatted about how they would pass the mountain if they had to. Kydrei noticed Nivrin's hood faced towards the rest, but his eyes looked elsewhere. They met eyes briefly before Kydrei went to gaze in the area Nivrin was looking.

"No," Nivrin spoke softly to Kydrei, placing a hand on his dark grey feathered arm. Nivrin then smiled and began to play along with the conversation. "We are going to go straight until the base of that mountain, yes." Nivrin replied now seeing something peculiar at its base. "We will examine the mountainside as much as we can and then head north some. Perhaps south. Whichever way the clues dictate."

"But why the mountain? Can't we follow along it and go north or south now?" Arrik pleaded out of fear. He began to wonder why Nivrin chose this exact spot and brought him along at that.

"If you plan on going over the mountain, or even up it some, we'll be here past dark," Chain Legend noted. His gold armor shone radiantly from his massive Norn body, standing out from the surrounding area like a sore thumb.

"We are not going over the range, merely inspecting the mountain from its base." Nivrin swatted at a bug, though Kydrei watched Nivrin's movements. He could tell Nivrin's movements was merely an act to keep watch behind him. Kydrei was more than curious, but chose to abide by Nivrin's order of not looking.

"What do you expect to find? It looks like your usual mountain to me." Tipps asked in his Asuran arrogance, having long since expected much more greatness from this mission. He contemplated in that moment of how he was smarter than everyone else he was with combined.

"I have a suspicion that perhaps Mordremoth would be residing within a mountain to hide from the people of Tyria. It would be a perfect way to conceal itself while gaining power, just waiting for the opportunity to rise. Defending itself when others got close to discovering him. And that mountain looks strange as it is, so I say we investigate it."

"The dragon's not in this mountain range," Arrik blurted with a straight face.

"And how do you know Norn?" Tipps immediately replied, baffled a Norn would know more than him.

"Valorous Norn," Sworn added matching Tipps' gaze, "How do you already know? Did you live here or something?"

Arrik shrugged as Nivrin turned to look at Arrik before walking forward with everyone else. He did not look pleased.

"Look Niv," Arrik started before Nivrin could speak, "All I'm saying is it's a bad idea to go looking directly for the dragon. And you want to poke around to cause him to erupt from beneath the mountain?" Arrik huffed and shook his head. "Sound plan there, Niv."

"He has a point," Verona said with arms folded.

"We should have more if you want to poke dragons…" Hesporos commented realizing their numbers were, if a dragon were to awaken.

"This is very true," Dalvyr said looking at Nivrin.

"Yes. If this was the original plan, why separate us all?" Tipps asked wondering why he was part of this lackluster group. In his eyes, this was a waste of time.

Nivrin stopped and waited for the rest to catch up with him and stop their concerns and talking. He looked down and then up after a few seconds, throwing a very brief eye to the treetops and then back again to the many eyes on him. "I called for us to split into groups because I didn't want to try and remember everyone's names," Nivrin put simply, "Hard enough remembering everyone's names within my guild, let alone some forty people coming together to look into a possible threat, with each having some ties to the important affiliations of Tyria…" Nivrin paused to let it sink in, "No thanks. Too many important people to look after and remember names. I took those whom which I know I can trust and utilize their skills and knowledge," Nivrin half smiled and nodded ever so slightly, "Congratulations."

"You do not trust the others in your guild? The other officers?" Chain asked wondering of Nivrin's comment.

"Trust can only go so far…" Sworn commented under his breath. This mainly due because the word caused a stir in his mind of past events.

"With my life, why do you ask?" Nivrin replied with a straight, serious face.

"You just said you chose the ones you trust to come with you." Chain liked the idea of being trusted and chosen, but found his words disturbing for one in charge of an entire guild.

"I chose you all to come with me for reasons of my own. The others from my guild I trust to lead their groups and make it back in one piece, hence why I chose them to lead the groups they are with. I cannot always take those within my circle of trust and reliance."

"That is true," Dalvyr commented again thinking of what Nivrin said, "It would lead others in the guild feeling left out and not being part of the importance we demonstrate and uphold in Nivrin's standards." Dalvyr meant what he said, however wasn't trying for humor or had not meant to make most of the others chuckle at his comment.

Nivrin shot Dalvyr a rude gesture before nodding and continuing. Kydrei noticed Nivrin's eyes still lingering on their backs, but did so in such a way that made it seem he was looking around for evidence or looking at other members of the party.

As they got closer to the mountain base, Shathalia began to make sounds of curiosity, but was still ever so quiet the entire time.

Dalvyr was, of course, the first to respond to her vocal clatter. He walked over to her and walked beside her, only a few more feet away from the rest. "Everything well?" he asked.

"This place," Shathalia stated while looking around, "appears familiar to me and I do not know why." Her dark skinned mouth gaped open some. An inherent thought process flowed in her mind trying to conceive an idea where this entire area would be familiar to her. She brushed away her leafy ebon bangs from her void-like eyes to get a better view of the surroundings.

"Familiar? Out here past Brisban?" Dalvyr now tried to think of some way she might have been out here, given what little he knew of her. The two were thinking of the different possibilities.

"Yes. I do not understand it myself, but I have been out here. The trees and the entire area look new to me, but familiar at the same time. It is the most peculiar feeling…" Shathalia could not fathom why she felt this way.

"I probably know why…" Arrik commented under his breath. It was quiet enough, however.

"You keep doing that Norn," Sworn said making a point, but before he could continue, Nivrin intervened.

"I bet you do, Arrik," Nivrin noted making his way past Arrik.

"Perhaps it was part of your Dream? Were you meant to come out here with us? Part of your Wyld Hunt even?" Dalvyr offered with a smile.

"I've not ever had a dream of which you speak. Many others of your kind have asked me the same thing, but I never know how to respond," Shathalia said with much emotion in her voice about the topic, "I… I only ever feel darkness when I rest my body."

Dalvyr felt an odd sense of needing to help her in that moment, aside from the small bit of interest he showed in her regarding slight affection. "You see nothing when you sleep? No dreams or images appear before you?"

Shathalia looked to Dalvyr and tilted her head slightly in thought before coming to a halt. In mid stare, her eyes shifted downward while she still faced Dalvyr. "I can see through the endless dusk in my sleep…" she paused a little before going on again, "like the moons radiance through the dark of night. Within it, a massive city illuminated by nothing but the moonlight from above and quaint torches assorted randomly. It is one I do not recognize, yet I feel it is a place I should come to know much better. Technology riddled with magic and vines of obscurity. So many ethereal beings walking about, however only a small portion actually walk with substantial bodies. I see it all in its hidden glory and I feel at home. I feel this is where I must be. I feel it's call and it feels amazing."

Dalvyr sighed heavily. His diamond-like eyes looked down in the only viable option in his mind, "Nightmare then…"

"No," Shathalia sharply retorted having heard this response many times, "I too have had those, well, at least from what they are described to me as." Shathalia turned back to Dalvyr in that moment while she walked.

"Tell us of these nightmares, Shathalia," Nivrin spoke softly to her appearing more than interested. At his comment, Arrik began to put some ideas in his own mind together with narrowed eyes towards Nivrin.

Shathalia now looked to Nivrin. "I see parts where the city is invaded by enormous barbed roots of plant and rock, like tentacles of the earth grasping for anything living. They try and corrupt the beings, but it has no effect on them, except the ones with actual bodies. They start to be taken and converted into dirt and root, almost like the leafy trolls we fought before at Nagaara."

"We did not fight anything at the village remains…" Chain wondered aloud thinking Shathalia was crazy.

"I was just thinking that. Unless you mean fighting the wood disease," Sworn added.

"We did fight a few days prior when some of our guild travelled out here," Dalvyr responded.

"Yes. We fought beings of shadow and jungle trolls that resembled more like vine constricted earth elementals than their true forms," Nivrin added.

"Was this nightmare after you fought them at Nagaara?" Dalvyr asked Shathalia.

"Long before in fact. I was actually taken aback when it all started happening at the village. Both of the things we fought were of my dreams and nightmares. I fought, but I did not know what to think."

Right after she finished her sentence, the sound of Asura technology blipped from behind them. They all turned to see Vaskar standing there motionless with a fading blue aura of Asura technological glimmer.

"Ah, Vaskar, nice to have you back," Nivrin commented pulling out an Asura device of his own. He looked down upon it with slight concern. Kydrei noticed, still studying Nivrin, and assumed Vaskar was why he kept looking back.

The Charr guardian moved oddly within his armor before responding. "Thanks."

"I suspect the waypoint is well?" Nivrin asked Vaskar while looking away, seeing the base of the mountain before them.

"Y-yes." Vaskar stood eerily still and had his visor of his helm down, shielding their view of his eyes and muzzle.

"Alright, let's move on then," Nivrin ordered as they finally arrived at the mountain side. He looked to Kydrei, where they shared a common gaze of apprehension.

At the base, each did what they were there to do. Investigate.

It was just as the base of a mountain should be. Dirt and patches of grass and vines. Ledges and boulders were randomly sticking out. The rapid slope upward from the ground gave no room to ascend upward and offered no stable footing. Even the clearing they stood was unremarkable

"Yes… I know this place by some means." Shathalia looked around. "It does not look the same though, if I can say that." She looked down in thought after speaking.

"Can you?" Sworn asked while wondering just why she was so dark. He was investigating her origins in those few moments, not thinking of Mordremoth.

"So, the mountain looks… like a mountain," Arrik said snidely. He shook his head in thought. Arrik wanted to be a legend, to be told around Hoelbrak, and to be renown, like the rest of his kind, but this was not it. This was his one true fear and he did a great job at suppressing it… so far.

"That it does Arrik, splendid observation." Nivrin said with a smile.

"What about this area looks familiar to you, Shathalia?" Dalvyr asked looking around.

At first glance, nothing appeared out of the ordinary at the mountain base. Some trees adorned its base in differed heights. The foliage died down into dirt and pebbles with rugged terrain to accompany it.

"I cannot tell you, Dalvyr," Shathalia responded with an oddly shaped smile.

"Why not?" Dalvyr asked, wondering why she would hide why she might recognize the area.

"Merely because I do not know. I am happy right now." Shathalia smiled big, showing her completely healthy yet blackened teeth. She clasped her hands together in a fit of joy while looking around. "I remember this because I believe this is part of the area from my dream!"

"From the ones you don't have?" Arrik said as he began to shake slightly. Tipps snickered as Chain laughed out loud.

"Yes!" Shathalia said unaware of Arrik's rudeness. "This is part of the plain that leads to the city!"

"There ain't no city here…" Sworn mumbled kicking some grass in disappointment. He wondered now why he was even here.

Shathalia looked to the mountainside and then frowned. "There should be a big door right here." She looked around frantically, as if she lost something precious.

Nivrin grinned ever so slightly at her comment and slowly moved to the mountainside. Both Arrik and Kydrei noticed the smirk, but Arrik responded first.

"Why so smug?" Arrik asked feeling his inner Norn tendencies growing.

"Why not be?" Nivrin asked as the facial expression inherently worsened. "You alright Arrik?"

"Just fine. I just thought we were on this trek for an Elder Dragon, not personal interests…" Arrik boldly stated.

Nivrin's grin lessened some. "Personal interests? What do you mean?"

Arrik looked at Nivrin with a dull face. "Come on, anyone can see you have more interest in the shadow beings and their connection-" Arrik blurted out before the ground began to shake a little right beneath their feet.

The group looked around and moved into a defensive position.

"Be on alert," Nivrin called out with his daggers readied.

"What was that?" Chain asked with his broadsword out.

"We might be close to finding a clue…" Tipps said aloud with his dark magic swirling between his hands.

"Clues don't rumble," Sworn stated with his daggers also readied.

Everyone stood on edge looking around, ready for anything to happen, save one of the members of the group.

Vaskar stood unfazed by the rumbling and hadn't moved a muscle from the tremble. The trembling happened again beneath their feet, but this time slower and in pockets. Vasker still stood without worry.

"What was that?!" Hesporos asked wielding his weapons.

"What?" Dalvyr, Chain, and Arrik asked at the same time.

"I just saw it too!" Tipps shouted pointing to an area of recently churned earth, "Something moved under the dirt!"

They all began looking down anxiously, waiting for something to pop up and attack.

"Jungle wurms I'm betting…" Chain said with a small grin looking to Verona with a nod, assuming he was right.

"Could be anything…" Verona commented shaking her head while on alert.

"Jungle wurms do tremble the earth as such," Dalvyr said looking over to Shathalia. She too was on alert with her daggers drawn, but did not look at all that worried.

"Nope," Nivrin said while tossing his dagger to Vaskar with all his might. The dagger flew through the air until the blade stuck right into Vaskar's face, leaving the hilt protruding from his face. The Charr's head immediately snapped back from the momentum of the dagger. His head wavered back some before falling on his back. Vaskar was evidently dead.

"W-what was that?" Chain asked wondering if he should keep his sword raised for a new threat.

"He was one of our own," Dalvyr emoted with his bow lightly lifted, unsure what was happening or why.

"No," Sworn said in Nivrin's defense, "I saw it too. He isn't right."

"Niv, you've gone too far!" Arrik shouted now furious with the guild leader. He sheathed his hammer and began waltzing to Nivrin.

"Calm down, everyone. He-" Nivrin started before a loud, blood curdling gasp was heard. They all looked to see a vine tousled spire jutting from Tipps' Asuran chest. He looked down to the jagged stone from his chest and looked up with bright, teary eyes.

"Tipps!" Chain said before running over to him. The action saved his life as a spire shot through the ground at his location.

Before the rest were punctured, they all moved swiftly, watching spires jut from the ground where they were standing.

"You were saying?" Nivrin said sarcastically as he jerked his head toward Arrik. Sworn huffed with a smile before unsheathing his daggers outward in a defensive poise.

Vaskar's corpse began to rise from the ground with an odd, slow movement. He did not rise himself, but instead, strands of the earth beneath him began to pick him up and back to his feet. Seeing this, Nivrin darted towards the body.

"You have what's mine old friend," he said before leaping onto Vaskar's corpse with a firm kick, causing the earthen strands to crumble and Vaskar's body to flatten once again to the ground. Nivrin latched onto his dagger hilt still within Vaskar and pulled it out. Nivrin vanished into shadowy mist as rocks jutted from Vaskar's sides seeking the thief, but instead clashed into themselves. Nivrin reappeared back by Arrik.

From the jutted rocks that tried to impale the others began forming into elementals of rock, brush, and what appeared to be bodies of humanoids. The parts that resembled bodies in each forming elemental were decayed or in the decaying process in some way or another.

"What's going on, Niv?" Arrik now asked backing up to the mountain's side, "You seem to know more than you're telling us."

"Vaskar has been compromised," he said scraping his dagger blade against a nearby tree. The substance on the blade was a dark green and had tainted red and brown splotches coursing through it with what appeared to be mold growing from the substance.

"Compromised?" Dalvyr asked taking higher ground atop a nearby mountainside boulder, "How? You killed him yourself."

"Mordremoth's influence. I've noticed something different about him since the attack at Nagaara. He did not know I knew, but when we were all looking at the wooden potatoes, I noticed green beneath his armor and even a vine sticking out from beneath his plated boot."

The rest were stunned by Nivrin's observation, save Kydrei.

"I too noticed it, Nivrin," commented the Tengu with his wing bladed weaponry readied.

"I know you did," Nivrin stood ready and watched the spires of rock change. Kydrei looked to Nivrin and still watched him as his eyes glanced upward randomly. Giving in, the Tengu looked up to see a being in the trees. Not just one, but a few just watching from atop the trees around, unnoticed by them all save Nivrin and now Kydrei. Before growing concerned of who they were, the elemental beings began rumbling a little more as they fully formed, breaking Kydrei's concentration on sights above.

The beings of flesh and earth took on a full form. The bodies of each elemental being was coated in a detail of rock, crystal and green, accompanied with vines, barbed plants, or a poisonous glaze . Even Vaskar's corpse was overtaken by the same Mordremoth taint and the corpse rose yet again, but this time became crushed and contorted by the enveloping elemental forming from him. The spire through Tipps pulled him into portions while forming, taking the pieces of him and entangling it into its being. One by one Mordremoth's minions took form using the corpses and twisted and mangled their essence, not caring of the body within but obviously needing it for some manner for sustenance.

"Looks like we got a fight!" Hesporos said eager for battle. He twitched anxiously waiting for the elemental beings of Mordremoth to act.

"Yet again we fight side-by-side by human friend!" Chain Legend shouted in his Norn pride to his friend of war. With his greatsword ready, Chain matched Hesporos' anxiousness of battle.

Sworn, instead of adding his two sense word wise, found an elemental by itself nearby and charged at it. He leapt high from a small boulder by the mountain side and came down on the elemental hard with his dagger blades. One blade stuck in the more vulnerable spot while the other glanced off rock. He slashed about with his blades and dodged the blows from the earthly beast until it was defeated and in pieces.

The action caused the rest of the elementals to charge and the Forefront to defend themselves.

Chain cleaved right through one elemental as another tried attacking him, but found his armor as hard as the rocks it was born of.

Nivrin was in the back, watching the Forefront ahead of him take on Mordremoth's minions and felt the urge to join in. Before he could however, he looked to Shathalia and realized he had yet to calm her down between all the commotion. With a glance to the left he saw the shadows wiggling slightly and felt a surge of actual fear jolt down his spine.

"Shathalia!" he shouted, unaware he startled her, "Look to me, dear."

Shathalia jumped at the shout of her name and as she did so, the shadows of the area jolted upward and outward recklessly, as if all the shadows themselves from the trees, animal life, and rocks of the area too were scared. She looked at Nivrin with an uneasy, yet defending face with her daggers readied.

"You're fine. Calm down," Nivrin pleaded with a small smile. He looked over to the combat going on without him and back to Shathalia. The many spells and blades wavering about made him want to run into the fray, but the Forefront looked to have no problems with these minor minions of Mordremoth. Swallowing his pride and defense, he sheathed his daggers with a dull huff. "See? Just calm down, we will be just fine." He stared at the flickering shadows and watched as they slowly wiggled, a usually impossible wavering.

Shathalia stared at Nivrin. Her thoughts ran rampant and she struggled with her emotions to become calm, but within seconds, she sighed and nodded. She liked this human more than most and she could not understand why. Nothing in the area of flirtatiousness or affection towards him, if anything at all, but knew around him, she would be alright. For now, Shathalia knew it was time to fight. "I am fine."

Nivrin smiled and placed his hands on his dagger hilts but felt something strange. He paused and began to hear it, meeting eyes with Shathalia.

Behind them both and the fighting, echoes of magical crackling and hisses started to be heard, interrupting Nivrin. The ones who looked away from Mordremoth's minions saw a small portion of the mountainside nearby begin to twist and contort into darkness.

"What's going on?" Nivrin asked in a soft, hushed mumble seeing this. His eyes moved upward to the treetops one last time to the visitors watching everything happen before focusing on the elementals and whatever was happening at the base of the mountain some yards away.

Rock, dirt and shrub darkened in the area where the sound emerged. The dark magic etched along the mountainside, coursing into an odd design, leaving behind a trail of night behind it, as if the sun itself was not shining in this area. A shroud of darkness soon blotted out a curved structure at the mountainside mimicking a cave big enough that the entire Forefront in Maguuma could all fit. Metal of a shiny ebon sort glistened a few feet inward from the cave opening. Its blacked structure fit precisely along the caves inner walls in such a way entailing intelligent design. Smokey clouds of black faded so that an outline a doorway could be seen.

"The city! It is inside!", Shathalia shouted, completely forgetting the elemental beings. She sheathed her weapons and smiled, clasping her hands together with her excitement. The more Shathalia stared at the newly revealed doorway, the more it seemingly called to her, like it did in her dreams.

Nivrin gasped and grinned seeing the door frame, seeing the magic, and hearing Shathalia's comment. "I knew it…" Nivrin spoke with a nod. He sighed happily this time, but now grew worry as to why it just appeared.

Arrik swung his hammer, bashing the elemental he was fighting into pieces, and watched as it fell apart with the mangled decaying body inside seep out where it could. He had heard the commotion of magical energy, but was too busy battering rocks to watch it happen.

"Now," Arrik said both still fairly pissed at Nivrin for hiding things and wanting to know just what the noise was, "Why have you-" Arrik stopped mid sentence seeing Nivrin leap out of the way suddenly. The Norn's eyes widened as large as they could and became full of panic as he turned his head to see why.

At first sight, the dread Arrik felt was so immense that he could not even regulate his breathing. He did not know why he was so fearful. Before at Nagaara he was scared when fighting the shadowy beings. He was a little frightened seeing normal shades and dark beings within Lion's Arch or in his journeys as pets to the necromancers or dark magicians around. This was different to Arrik.

Not only was he very close to the source of his dread and where it first took hold of him, but now watching the many eyes of transparent, shaded humanoid being rush at him completely riddled his mind with absolute fear and froze him where he stood. In mid stare, dazed by terror and unable to move, he could not hear the rest of his party calling out to him to move or duck out of the way. Arrik could not help but to stand in the way. He began to shout uncontrollably seeing the shaded beings that launched themselves out of the newly formed doorway charge right at and through him.


	10. Chapter 10

10

A sharp prick on his foot woke him. Weak, bound, and still groggy, the only thing that kept William from returning to induced slumber was the agonized scream of another. The vocal shrill jolted him from his dazed state, now only wondering what caused that tortured scream, he was oblivious of his current condition.

"Hmf, whts gng om," William spoke with a muffled voice, unaware that he was wrapped in webbing still. After a few seconds, he remembered what happened and began to wiggle and thrash in the web to no avail. He strained his eyes in the dim area. The far off lights not throwing enough brightness to give details to his surroundings. The screaming echoed off the walls like he was in a cave or at least what he thought after hearing it. Having been leaned against the wall in his cocoon-like state, his face directly angled against a stone wall. The only other thing near him was a small red and green root with purple strands of color running through it. William's mind wondered what it could be until he realized who he was last dealing with.

"Nitma," he mustered from his web covered mouth meaning 'Nightmare'.

William scanned the area with what little his peripherals allowed in the dimly lit area. He could see other enveloped Forefront members, but who they were he had no clue, save the smaller one, that had to be Grebb. Looking under some of the webbing to his right, he could make out a figure in a knelt down position with their arms stretched completely outward by some means. Vines or chains held their arms and their head was hanging downward. From what William could tell, the person had really pointed armguards on, for the spikes were about a foot in length and about three to four per arm. William then saw the bottom half of an individual come into his view.

"You expect us to believe your shrubbish?" spoke the sultry male voice, mixing the words rubbish and shrub, deeming it to be Sylvari. He did not recognize the voice or the crude, non-humorous word play, so he started maneuvering himself to a better position to view the scene.

"I-I," struggled a female voice coming from the one bound to the ground, "I just told you," she exerted before sighing, "…what I know." William could not pin point just who it was or if the female was even part of their Forefront crew.

"Yes, you did," spoke Venassi. He knew her voice from before. Only a leg of hers could be seen from his position.

"Ah, yes. That you did," The male spoke. The male Sylvari now walked into William's view. Although he could only see the rear end of this male and the legs below it, he knew it was in fact, Sylvari. "You told us everything. Literally."

"I-I do not know what you mean…" The bound female barely whispered, hardly moving her body. Just by her voice, William could tell she was exhausted, in extreme pain, and barely conscious. It almost sounded like Amerial, or even the newer Sylvari, Nikcoli, but William could not tell.

"Let me clear things up for you, shrew," the male spoke again and then walked a little more into William's line of sight, but he blocked his view of the bound female, only seeing her right arm that faced toward him and the spiked armor she had on it. "You claim to have no ties with us, yet you know of things exactly as it is." The male unsheathed a sword from his side, tilted it, and then hit her across the cheek. The action was not at all fatal, yet it was enough to make the bound Sylvari yelp and see stars. "You somehow know to travel along the backside of Brisban in just a way to directly encroach the old glade the Court reformed for our new copse," the male stated firmly.

"Don't forget her ramblings Elyzur," Venassi added with a hint of anger in her tone while revealing the males name.

Venassi paced in her sharp leaf made attire of varied greens and blacks. The thorns coursing throughout the leather wardrobe stood out from her garment in an exotic, yet threatening way. Each leaf end that was sewn into her wardrobe had a point to it as well, all of which was more than likely poison tipped. The Duchess of Venom's nails extended at least seven inches from her leafy fingertips while the vial of light green liquid she carried matched almost exactly to the color of her eyes. Now near the bound female, reveling in the pain being caused, Venassi lifted the vial over the female in a mischievous manner while waiting for Elyzur to respond.

Elyzur's head twitched as if a thought pierced his mind, "That's right. You speak a name in which we've tried to keep under the brush, yet you blurt it out like it's a common information."

"A n-name?" the female asked, barely able to speak now.

Elyzur chuckled, but as soon as the chuckle left him, rage began to drip from his words. He latched onto one of the spikes that jutted from the bound female's arm and yanked it off. The female screamed in agony and began an exhausted and pain driven weep.

"Now you play games. This is what happens when you play games," Elyzur said, as he readied other tortures for his prisoner.

Elyzur stood up fully, expressing his intimidation to the bound female not paying him attention. His garments were very leaf-like in making and had roots overhanging from it randomly. The texture of the leaf armor both shined like that of metal and appeared just as strong, although a corrupted yellow, brown and reddened color argued otherwise by mere appearance; tainted purple emphasis streaming about the getup.

"Do not kill her, Elyzur. We must wait on Cadeyrn to arrive for more interrogations," Venassi said, somewhat worried the female might perish. She was not concerned for the female bound to the floor, but for her superiors and what they might do if she were to die in their hands.

"I won't kill her, but merely sap her of her fluids," Elyzur moved slightly around her, but William could not see what Elyzur was doing.

"Don't let loose so much, she can still wilt away," Venassi said, confirming the female was a Sylvari.

William moved and contorted, but found himself unable to do anything. His mind shifted to the device he was supposed to use if he was in an emergency. He wished he could move his hand to it and tried to do so, but before he could, William felt a prick again on his foot, wondering what it was.

"Whf thr," William emoted while veering his eyes downward as much as possible. All he could see was something shifting on the ground, but he could not exactly see what it was. Within a few seconds, he watched a small lump travel beneath the wall up to him. Before he could get a better look, it moved forward and then a little under William's webbings, trying to hide it seemed. It then made its way to his face where it pricked his cheek.

"Whas thf shifl!" William shouted, but luckily it was muffled. He began to hear a voice in his head, but they were whispers at best.

"It seems some of them are waking up, Elyzur," Venassi said hearing William's mumbled shout.

"I heard," Elyzur said as he turned toward the noise.

William moved and tried to see what Elyzur was doing while also trying to ignore the voices and the jab to his face. He did not expect the blow to his head by Elyzur.

He woke again to the same jab to his face, but this time did not move. He wondered just what was going on and somehow knew whatever was poking his face was not because of the two Nightmare Court followers that were in the room. He searched the room again for the two Courtiers, but found no one. The one that was bound now lay on the ground, unmoving and slumped over from gravity. He started to move, but he heard a voice before he could do anything.

"_This time don't move or make noise, Bookah! We're lucky, they all left the room after the rumble outside the walls,"_ spoke a voice in his head. The voice would have made William jump, but for the web that held him in check. He could not fathom how something besides himself was speaking to him in his head.

_"Uh, what?" _William spoke in his mind, unsure he heard anything at all.

_"Will, it's Grebb. Do not be alarmed. I am telepathically communicating with you through a type of telepathy but through geo-pathical means. The rock shard piercing you is acting as the transceiver to what I say and also transmitting what you say to me via the same type of geo-thermal waves resonating off of the rocks in which I control. This is why you feel a slight pain in your face too because there has to be an entrance into the head. I apologize for slightly piercing your skin."_

_"Oh." _William said simply, his mind still not grasping how it worked. Even hearing what the head-Grebb said, he still did not comprehend what was going on exactly.

_"Are you injured at all? Do you need a stone-driven stint or aid in moving a limb?" _Grebb mentally asked from his position out of William's view.

_"No, I think I'm good. Just can't move because of these damned webs," _William spoke in his own mind in response, still unsure he was even talking to Grebb at all. He mocked it up to perhaps spider venom messing with his mind.

_"Good. I am fine too. Sonja, Gunnar, and Kadra appear fine as well, it's Amerial and Nik I am worried about," Grebb's worry was evident in his mind voice_

_"Why are you worried about them?" _William asked instantly after Grebb's mental voice stopped. A sliver of fear they might be dead coursed through his being.

_"Can you not see them on the ground? You are actually closer to them than any of us," _Grebb thought William was dim, but was ever more convinced in that moment. He did not see that William's placement prevented him from seeing the predicament that Nikcoli and Amerial were in.

William tried his best to look out of his peripherals. Nothing could be seen except the silhouette of a figure slumped over. He tried to see who it was, but as hard as he tried, could only make out an outline, which could fit any Sylvari. As he shifted, William managed to wiggle himself enough to cause a tilt in his stature.

William slowly rolled and as he did, he made it a point to lock eyes with both Amerial and Nikcoli. They were strapped down by vines, stripped of all their armor, and appeared unconscious. Their bodies seemingly lifeless(put who's arm or pieces of it were broken off here). The image of his comrades in this tortured way was burned into his memory as his rolling continued. William's next view showed the ceiling of the cave, complete with darkness and stalagmites directly above him and everyone else.

_"That wasn't very wise, bookah. Next time try to control the roll,"_ Grebb sarcastically noted to William.

_"Can you see me?"_ William mind-asked, ignoring Grebb's rude comment.

_"I can, but from above. I can see best from above and see when the Court comes back in."_

_"How?" _William asked still perplexed at everything transpiring.

_"I am utilizing the stalagmites above us as my eyes, since my Asura ones are blindfolded by webs."_

William blinked and then looked around all he could. _"I don't see you up there,"_ William said before blinking again.

There was silence for a few moments before Grebb responded, _"No… you dim human, I can see thanks to my genius use of my elemental powers. I utilize the rocks and walls in this cave to my advantage, using them for my eyes, ears and anything else I can use them for."_

William now was the one who paused after Grebb's mental words. _"And why aren't we out of this webbing yet then?"_

_"Because I was waiting on you to wake up!"_ Grebb shouted emotionally in William's head.

Just after the shout, William felt the shard recede from his face and then go down his side. The shard sliced the webbing, but in places the webbing was right up against his armor and skin, the shard too cut, slicing his skin in the areas skin showed from his armor on its decent downward. After he didn't feel the shard anymore, the webs were not nearly as tight as they had been. The shard again pricked William's leg where some of the armor did not cover.

_"Ok, come on out. I need you to defend the rest of us if some Nightmare come back."_ Grebb stated in wait.

_"While you do what?" _William asked, unsure he should break free or not.

_"While I see if everyone's ok and figure out a way out of this damned cave. Now just come out and maybe we'll go over more of what needs to happen." _Grebb sighed in William's mind, would have smacked him mentally too if he could.

William grinned at the cave ceiling as if it was the ceilings doing that he was about to be released. He squirmed and wiggled free of the webs little by little until he fell back on his back.

"Ouf," William unintentionally said as he hit the ground. He propped himself up and shook his head, still feeling webs about him, he grasped what he could and tore them away from his armor and skin. He especially took special time taking it out of his hair. 

"Ah, much better. Thanks Grebb, I fee-" William stated before seeing the two familiar Sylvari chained down. He instinctively withdrew his sword and went to break their vined chains.

"Wait!" Grebb shouted from behind his small web.

William stopped and watched as Grebb walked out from behind his web although his web was still slightly moving. "Why? And what's inside your cocoon?"

"Because the vines will set off poisonous and paralyzing clouds if cut down. Nightmare may be null to the other races advantages and their daily living, but they are not dumb."

"But look…" William said now realizing the spiked arm guards he thought he saw on what he now knows is Nikcoli were actually pieces of her arms stripped back in a type of torture. "We -must- do something Grebb."

"We need Sonja. All three have been waiting for you to wake up and guard me as I release them from their webbing."

"All three?" William foolishly asked, not realizing Grebb meant the fellow web-wrapped companions

"Yes Bookah. You know, your -other- Forefront and Guild members? Sonja, Kadra and Gunnar."

"Oh…" William said readjusting himself in his armor.

"Just guard the doorway, please," Grebb ordered with a shake of the head.

William put his sword at his back and this time drew his mace and shield. He stood at the only doorway there was.

Grebb raised an arm and accompanying it were rocks and dirt from the ground beneath. They formed into shard like knives, where Grebb flung his arm outward, sending three to the webbed ones. The knives cut through the webbing easily and once free from it, the rocky knives fell back to the ground as if they were never enchanted by Grebb.

"Ugh, finally," Kadra said slashing her way out with her claws, making use of the cut Grebb's rock made."What took so long, Grebb?" Kadra asked shaking the stray threads of webbing off her rifle.

"Meathead over there had to wake up," Grebb said motioning to William with a head gesture.

"Like I could help being bashed over the head?" William retorted.

"You didn't have to make all that racket for him to notice you. If you hadn't, he'd have left you alone."

William sighed, "How was I supposed to know the small stabs were you trying to talk to me in my head?"

Grebb just shook his head while pulling the cocoon apart from Sonja as best as he could. "They must have used extra for the two Norn," Grebb added seeing Gunnar too having trouble getting out.

"They are naturally brute-like," William offered, "mere webs should be reinforced to hold back their-"The cave they were in began to rumble and shake slightly, interrupting William. The small tremble was enough to cause alarm to the ones freeing their companions.

"Scrap my tail, we should really hurry before we find out what caused that," Kadra said ignoring the webs on her to help free Sonja.

"I agree," William said as his head whipped to the left after hearing many footsteps. They weren't organized, as in a march, neither were there a few, but many frantic footsteps, as if people were scared and running.

Sonja broke free a little after William's comment, her ice-blue hair among the first of her to be seen. She reached outward and slowly made her way out of her entrapment.

"W-what happened?" Sonja asked breaking free of the last her webbed bonds.

"Spiders happened," William noted from the cave entrance.

"Are you alright Sonja?" Kadra asked the hydromancer.

"I-I am fine. I-"

"Oh bear!" Gunnar shouted, free of his webbed shackles at last, "That was too much for a Norn like me, being contained in such a manner!" He whipped about, ridding himself of the rest of the fine threads and made little adjustments to his armor before continuing again, regardless if anyone else wanted to talk. "Where are those spiders? I want to rip them apart and show them my arrows… Nothing can hold me back!" Gunnar shouted taking out his bow. He whistled high and loud, the noise he made echoing off the cave walls.

"Give us away why don't you?" William sarcastically asked, wishing he could smack the Norn on the head to silence him.

"Didn't the spiders do just that? Held you in place?" Kadra asked Gunnar with her rifle out in case unwanted visitors came in.

"You ready Sonja?" Grebb asked looking over at Nikcoli and Amerial in the distance.

"For what?" she responded not knowing what Grebb meant.

Grebb merely nodded to the area where Nikcoli and Amerial were held down. Kadra, Gunnar, and Sonja looked and saw them off in the darker part of the cave.

"Scrap metal!" Kadra shouted running to them. Gunnar and Sonja ran over to the two as well with Grebb behind them. William stood at the entrance watching both his comrades and the outer edge of the entrance to the cave.

Sonja said nothing as she approached the two Sylvari. Seeing Nikcoli with her arms out and hunched over with her arms flayed caused her to act immediately. A swell of blue began to surround her as water began to gush from her hand. She aimed her watery hand to Nikcoli and a surge of water erupted from beneath Nikcoli, submersing her in healing waters. Sonja placed her hand on Nikcoli's head. Upon the touch, Nikcoli's head became submerged in an orb of water.

"Sonja!" Gunnar shouted, using his booming voice again causing William and Grebb matching disappointing gestures. "Drowning her is -not- going to help her!"

"…" Sonja looked to the ground at Gunnar's feet and decided there was no need for a response to such an idiotic proclamation. Her head turned back over to her magics. Within a few seconds of Sonja's waters, Nikcoli started to show more her leaf-like colors from the dried and weltered state she was just in. The flayed arms of the Sylvari receded back to her arms and latched on.

"She is alive, good," Sonja said now seeing bubbles come from Nikcoli's mouth within the bubble of water around her head.

"Oh, that's what that was for?" Gunnar asked. No one responded.

Sonja got up and began to do the same damp ritual on Amerial.

William smiled seeing Nikcoli begin to move. Although her movements were slight and in need of assistance from Grebb and Kadra, Nikcoli's condition was turning around. His smile turned around as well after a few more seconds.

The ground began to tremble and shake like before, but only much worse. Wiliam lost balance and fell against the cave entrance. Kadra fell into a kneeling position while Sonja was forced to sit down from her conjuring.

"We need to go," Grebb said looking around with worry.

"Why do you say that?" Gunnar asked in a defensive, yet stable stance.

"I think it's obvious, Bjornkin," Sonja said looking up at the dull Norn from her sitting position.

"It's Bjorn-jan-kin, Svanir offspring."

"Hush it Bookahs!" Grebb shouted. His head darted to the ground as if he saw something move.

William sighed at the noise while glancing back at the entrance. He then realized they weren't being looked after. At all.

"You know," William started, "With all the racket we're causing and all the time that passed, any normal captors would return."

"Or at least guards." Kadra added.

"You bring up a good point human," Gunnar said now caressing his beard in thought.

"They just not remember we're here?" Sonja asked while wielding her waters on Amerial. It was taking a little longer than she expected with Amerial, which she secretly feared and hid from the rest of her Forefront ensemble.

"That or forgotten…" William now hoped they were not purposely forgotten after he made the comment.

"Go out and take a peak, Will," Grebb asked motioning to the door with a waving hand, as if William was a servant. His eyes still watched all around the cave floor in a disturbing manner.

"Uh, what? Alone?" William asked. He was slightly afraid, but only because of the many footsteps he could still hear.

"Why not, guardian? Can you not handle yourself?" Grebb raised an eyebrow. It lasted only a few seconds before his head tilted upwards with a concerned look.

"I can," William instantly retorted, "but there are so many outside these cave tunnels. I can hear them."

Grebb sighed and looked around. He was about to send Kadra, but saw her in a trance with Sonja's water magic. Grebb definitely didn't want to send the loud-mouth and over-confident Gunnar.

"Actually… I'll go with you Will." Grebb tugged a few areas of his shirt and tilted his neck, anxious. He walked over to William and turned around to the rest of the Froefront opening his mouth about to speak.

"We'll keep it on lockdown Grebb, don't worry," Kadra reassured. She then threw down contraptions she had in her engineering sack. They turned into turrets and were spread out around her, ready for enemies.

Grebb closed his mouth and nodded. Gunnar too had his bow equipped.

The two crossed the entrance and ventured out into the tunnel.

"So what was that back there?" William asked Grebb.

"What do you mean?' Grebb asked stretching his hands towards the cave floor. With each step Grebb took and his arms reaching, the earth beneath him followed at his command.

"I mean that look of yours and the way you were scared of something, looking around like the elder dragons were upon us."

Grebb sulked. "I was -not- afraid, Will," Grebb said just before something leapt out of the shadows. Grebb gasped loud and his eyes widened. Seeing the shadow of something overhead, he began to shout as he laid on the cave floor.

Gunnar's pet had jumped right over them from the side of the cave it climbed up on. It ran past them and in a few seconds, Gunnar's voice could be heard in a joyful tune, obviously happy to see his animal friend.

"Not scared, eh?" William played with a smirk.

Grebb got up and snuffed at William. "That was obviously a scary situation. A massive creature leaping, what appeared to be, right at us. Even you were scared human."

"Startled maybe, but my sword and shield were readied. Your magics were beneath you and you screamed in terror." William began to chuckle.

"Shut that mouth William, I am hearing weird voices, ok?" Grebb said with a big sigh.

William ended his chuckling while somewhat interested in what Grebb had said. "Voices?"

"Yes. I hear the ground speak to me. Something beneath the dirt is talking and I cannot pin point just where the epicenter of this voice might be located." Grebb scanned the ground as he got back up to his feet.

"Like, uh, the undead chanting in their graves or something?" William offered following the cave tunnel. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looked splendid to him.

"No. This is much more, well, prominent. Much worse it feels." Grebb shook his head again and calmed his forehead with his reassuring, rubbing fingers.

"Feels?" William asked, not exactly comprehending how Grebb could hear rock and dirt talk. He shrugged at the thought, for Grebb was a specialized elementalist.

"Yes. I feel something quite big. Something quite powerful. Quite powerful indeed…" Grebb said walking to the cave edge.

The end of the tunnel lead to the outside, but a massive mound of rock blocked the cave off and they could see nothing but treetops. From being in the outside air and hearing much more, they could both hear the many footsteps William spoke of prior. Not only footsteps were heard, however.

The many clangs and clashing of metal, thumps of blunt objects colliding with something, and some chants and screams could be heard. Grebb and William looked to each other.

"Sounds like a battle..." William offered as Grebb nodded a little.

"It sounds of epic proportions too." Grebb responded. The two slowly made their way up the rock to peer over. Once in position the two saw something that caused both of them to gasp.

Many nightmare courtiers and their nightmare hounds, spiders, and other extravagant creatures were battling with the very same plant-like monstrosities they had encountered at Nagaara village, but on a much larger scale. Not all of them resembled jungle trolls, but some were centaur like, humanoid, and even elemental beings. The two forces had long since collided and the forces of which these earthly, plant-elemental beings belonged to were just ripping the Nightmare court forces apart. Even Nightmare courtiers were fighting other Nightmare members, adding to the twisted chaos before the two Tyria Vanguardians witnessed.

"What is-" Grebb started before a small force of Nightmare began to run toward their outlook, but out of fear. They had not seen William or Grebb.. The group was being chased by a number of the earthly corrupted beings and were being picked off one by one until the group was able to hide behind some shrubs near the rock in which Grebb and William peered from.

"Why are they attacking us?!" shouted one of the Nightmare Sylvari to another.

"I don't know! They were our allies!" shouted the other in response.

"Quiet. Both of you," spoke another. This person seemed rather calm and familiar to Grebb and William. It was Elyzur.

"But the minions! They are upon our encampment! All we worked for!" the first Nightmare courtier said to Elyzur.

"Yeah!" added the other Sylvari, "Our new home! Our secret tree will be overrun and we tried so hard to keep it hidden from the rest of Tyria!"

"I said to be quiet," Elyzur calmly said, "They are Dragonspawn. They do the will of the elder dragon and it appears our alliance with it is up."

"It used us!" one of the Sylvari exclaimed in anger.

"You expect less of an Elder dragon?" Elyzur said watching the rest of his allies fall in the distance. "The elder dragons have their own plans and wishes. We were not part of them it seems."

"What about Venassi! And the other Nightmare who betrayed us!"

Elyzur looked to the Nightmare recruit shouting and strung with fear. "She and the others will pay for their treachery, siding with Mordremoth over us Nightmare," Elyzur looked down to the ground and shook his head. With a palm covering his eyes, he sighed and stood up, leaned against a tree and looked to the other two Nightmare. "I plan to bleed her myself… For… I loved her."

Grebb and William had not moved and were still peeking out over the edge of the rock, listening in about how the Nightmare Court were betrayed by the Elder dragon and their own. Grebb looked to William, who looked back.

"Mordremoth?" William whispered.

"I believe so, however I do not understand why it was working with the Nightmare court." Grebb whispered as be looked to the side in thought. After a few seconds, he could hear whispers in his head again, still unable to understand it.

"Hear them again?" William asked seeing the Asura frantically look around.

"Yeah, they-" Grebb started before a loud booming bellow was heard throughout the area briefly. After the bellow, the ground shook and a dragon was seen circling in the sky. William held on to the rock side he stood, but Grebb nearly fell.

"Grebb, you ok?"

"Ugh, yeah. Just fine… That thing cried out and I heard it through my ear canals and in my brain," Grebb said shaking his head.

"What?" William asked not understanding. Again.

"The dragon cried out, right?" Grebb asked.

"Yeah." William waited for Grebb to reply in a confused manner.

"Ok, well I heard it in my ears, like you did, but I also heard it inside of my head somehow." Grebb explained clearly.

"That _thing_ looks like a dragon champion," William commented ignoring Grebb's explanation, "We need to either hide or get out of the area. Fast."

"What? You don't think we can take it? Us? Forefront?" Grebb played with a smile. He knew there's no way eight of them, including the recently revived Sylvari members, could take on a dragon champion in all its glory.

"I believe we could if we were at our peak, however being cooped up in the webs and two of ours down, I doubt it," William said watching the dragon in the sky.

"Destiny's Edge did it," Grebb mentioned honorably recalling their tale against Glint, the once dragon champion of Kralkatorrik."True, but we are not important figures. We are not held to their standard; Unknown heroes at best Grebb"

"You doubt our ability William? As a guild? As the Forefront?" Grebb asked, almost offended.

"I doubt we'd have a chance in our current condition, Grebb. Now will you stop arguing and-" William began as the dragon let loose another deep roar. As the dragon bellowed again, it landed, causing a massive quake throughout the area. Grebb and William fell to the ground, right on their backs.

"Ugh, that felt great," William softly joked feeling a little winded.

"My head… It hurts so tremendously right now!" Grebb said in a normal voice, not whispering to keep a low profile.

"Shhh," William said before realizing Grebbs words. "Tremendous? I don't think that fits in that sentence."

The dragon bellowed again, only this time, it lasted more than just a couple seconds. The dragon was making its presence known and intimidating those in its way.

Grebb began to scream in agony as the dragon cry echoed throughout the area. The whispers in his head became loud and overbearing in Grebb's mind. Loud, angry cries from deep in the earth seemingly ripped into Grebb's thoughts. He frantically twisted about on the ground holding his head as William tried to calm him.

"Escape unscathed? Not before you bleed!" Elyzur shouted before leaping down at them both. Elyzur had left behind his two Nightmare companions hearing Grebb's shout, as they were fighting against three plant and nature riddled dragonspawn.

William barely had enough time to avoid one of Elyzur's blades darting at him, but could not completely deflect the blade away from Grebb. It veered off its path to Grebb's heart and sliced his arm. The blade went halfway through Grebb's arm, slicing through bone and nerves. Grebb turned to the side and held his arm, but after a few more seconds of shouting and crying Asuran jargon, he became unconscious.

William kicked upward, causing Elyzur to fumble toward one side and giving William enough time to get up. One of Elyzur's blades came crashing down on William, only to bounce off his shield. Elyzur recovered and brought his swords around, bringing both blades down, intending to cleave William in two. William stood perfectly still with a small sliver of blue outlining his body.

Both of Elyzur's blades bounced off simultaneously, William's aegis blocking the attack. The block knocked Elyzur a few feet backward into the rock side.

"Time to run faster than a centaur!" William yelled as he grabbed Grebb's unconscious and bleeding body. He hefted the Asura up and over his shoulder easily, due to Grebb's small stature and weight, and turned back to Elyzur in a defensive stance. With a small hand gesture from the guardian, a line of light blue fire appeared between the Nightmare Court Sylvari and the Human holding the Asura.

"Fire?" Elyzur said standing at the edge of the fiery wall, "There are worse things than burning…" Elyzur commented before grazing a finger across the blue flames.

William backed away defensively with a hand still holding Grebb in place on his shoulder as he slowly started casting something, in case Elyzur tried anything. He made sure Elyzur could not see the hand behind Grebb.

"Worse things, eh?" William played, trying to give himself more time to think of a way out of this situation.

"Of course. There are so many, but at this point in time," Elyzur's grin stood out from the Nightmarish colors of his attire. He leaned forward a little into the flames, letting the bright sapphire fire course along his chest, body, shoulders and even his face, "You should worry about me."

A blue light flashed behind William, just as Elyzur leapt through the flame and smashed directly into a barrier that William had just cast. He plummeted down and his two swords fell along with him. On the ground, Elyzur shook his head, unaware of what just happened.

William grinned as he turned and ran back down the tunnel with his injured companion.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever and was much longer than he remembered, but that was forgotten all in a single moment.

"Yes!" William said under his breath remembering he had the flare he was told to use in case of an emergency. This was definitely an emergency in his mind. He was excited to be able to get everyone out of the cave safely and somewhere out of harm's way. "Sonja!" William yelled walking fast through the door.

Sonja looked up and ran to him as he came through the door. Kadra and Gunnar watched from afar beside the recuperating Nikcoli and Amerial, who was still in shambles.

William placed Grebb down gently on the cave floor as Sonja came up. She then hastily knelt beside the unconscious Grebb.

"What happened?" Sonja asked looking over the Asura for any major injuries.

"That Elz-guy. He sliced him on the arm there," William said as he went to stand up. He shifted his shoulder to re-adjust from carrying the lightweight Asura. His eyes lit up as he looked beneath his leg armor, looking for where he put the flare.

Sonja began to work her magic on Grebb's arm, using her healing water magic to soak it and causethe wound to heal quickly.

"What is going on out there?" Gunnar asked, wondering what happened, but knowing Grebb would be ok in Sonja's hands.

"Dragon champion of Mordremoth is out there fighting with the Nightmare court against other Nightmare Court." William said with a sigh, still trying to find the flare.

"Nightmare against Nightmare? What on Tyria could cause that? Kadra asked aloud in thought on the topic.

"Dragon champion?" Gunnar said as his spirits brightened at the words, "We could broaden my legacy!"

"I don't know about you, Norn," William said to Gunnar, "But I'm ready to get out of here. For good." William pulled out the Priory made flare from behind his leg armor close to his knee.

"How?" Kadra asked.

"Anyone else ready to leave?" William asked with a grin waving the device in the air to answer Kadra's question with it.

"What?" Kadra asked wondering just what his plans were. She held a bomb, but had yet lit it due to William and Grebb entering. She was ready for enemies to come barreling down the tunnel chasing after William.

William nodded and showed the flare, holding it outward. He opened the tip of it revealing a type of button.

"We will all be celebrating we got out of this dire situation soon!" William widened the grin on his scruffy face and pressed it.

A swirl of blue and purple energies laced in green encompassed William, Grebb and Sonja and within a few seconds, the three were gone, leaving the rest in an array of surprise, alarm, worry, and most of all, sorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

11

"Keep me away, Keep me away!" Sir Salreznar screamed pressing some buttons to cause his hovering throne to back up while watching in terror as the massive great wurm rested in place seemingly disoriented.

"What a fitting battle cry," Aerion mentioned brushing back his white-grey hair unsure he was seeing the same thing as the royalist or not. Aerion continued shaking his head at the dimwitted human while unsheathing his winged silver daggers.

Calla withdrew her axes, Skarr placed a paw on the greatsword hilt at his back and Bane took a defensive stance, leaving his daggers at his hips, each ignoring the royalist and his habitual escape. Cravisk was watching the human get away though, ill thoughts and hatreds from the past resurfacing.

"He ish why I hated hyoomans for long time," Cravisk added adjusting his brown leathers and pulling up his mask, getting ready to face the wurm if need be. "I thot they were all like that, shcared and shnobby."

Salreznar and his posse ran back the way they had all came, well, hovered in Salreznar's case. Within a few minutes, the four human elitists were completely out of sight.

A commotion erupted by the wurm about a quarter of a mile away, gaining everyone's attention.

"Hey, that's Hrafn's group!" Calla shouted seeing familiar faces in the distance.

The ones who came out of the Asura portal left by the Priory Emergency Flare Mechanism found they were yet again facing one of the very things they had ironically initially used the flare to escape from: A great champion wurm of Mordremoth. The Forefront group of mesmers and ambassadors from the other, unknown races spread out in a chaotic fashion once they realized they were not away from the threat they were fleeing from. The wurm just watched the lot of them in their chaotic running before shrieking.

"Skreeeeeee" was all that was heard. The great jungle wurm's screech reverberated throughout the landscape, bouncing off the dry mountainous terrain for an echo of terror, causing each humanoid in its vicinity to flee faster, but this time in the same direction, leaving the wurm to try and decipher which the easier target was.

Skarr began into a run at the wurms cry before anyone else could say a word, however Bane decided he had to add his two cents between the situation and Skarr taking off.

"Wait!" he hollered at the Blood Legionarre. Skarr did so and looked back.

"What for?" he asked snobbishly. Skarr was the one in charge, in his mind anyway.

"To just run to them…Not yet" Bane sternly stated while watching the distance with an uncanny ease,

"Yes, you can't just run in there and slay the wurm," Aerion furthered, trying to see what was going on before acting.

"Works when I do it…" Skarr said huffing, not understanding why he was standing there arguing when he thought he was in charge of the group. "And they need our help. We -need- to go."

"Yes, but not yet," Bane said looking around, "Something isn't right…" the Fire Charr noted to himself quietly while scratching his scalp. The embers of emotion inside Bane began to ignite lightly; small flames of annoyance and agitation starting from Skarr. As his fingers weaved in and out of his fire-orange mane atop his head, Bane realized something was wrong watching the wurm afar. "That jungle wurm doesn't look right."

"You know what they look like?" Skarr played while withdrawing his greatsword, getting ready to finally break into a charge. "Flame legion wouldn't know a jungle wurm if it erupted beneath Hrafgar. You guys might maybe know the Ascalon wurms, but no jungle wurms. I don't believe they put them in the Flame Legion Monster Manual." Skarr began laughing to himself while watching the wurm still in a confused, almost dazed state after its screech.

"He has a point though, Skarr" Aerion defended his fellow elementalist, "regular jungle wurms – even regular wurms, don't look like that."

From head to the tails end, the jungle wurm extended over seventy some feet with a circumference of at least ten feet in height and width. Corrupted from its born form, it was taken over by a mold or fungus that covered it like a furry hide. Roots, branches, and a mass of stems protruded out of it in different areas varying in size and variety as its natural made spikes were distributed by each segment all the way around it. Boulders of many different shapes were embedded into it randomly. The plant horror almost had arms to it in some places with how a multitude of vines layered together with elongated branches coming together to form a claw-like appearance at the ends. Fangs resembled like that of a normal jungle wurm, but corrupted by the same fungus and some added thorned features; thorns protruding outward like fangs around the mouth region and even growing from other teeth as well. Its tail was a giant chunk of jagged, obtruding crystals almost resembling the ones Kralkatorrik littered the Ascalon area with, but in a more green hue with brown highlights.

"I'm going. You guys can stay here if you want." Skarr said seeing the wurm begin to gain its surroundings. The Blood Legion Charr began to walk at a fastened pace. The clanking of his Blood Legion armor caused him some displeasure, so he shrugged his shoulders and moved his arms to compensate for it, now used to the many spikes in the armor.

"Just walk? He says we need to get over there and he walks…" Bane smiled after his comment and continued to walk as well.

Skarr overheard and turned to his rival, "I said this because the wurm is preoccupied with its new surrounding and Hrafn and them are almost to us. I would already be to them and getting information had I been able to run." Skarr nodded, turned around and continued his hastened walking again. Calla and Cravisk followed Skarr as Aerion was reluctant to be so eager, but did end up heading out. Bane folded his arms behind his lower back and walked, leaving his weapons at his sides. Bane did not appear ready to fight anymore, but rather was hushed, walking in his crimson robes with their orange accents. The yellow-orange fire crest at his neck gleamed in the sunlight.

"I wonder why they used the flare," Aerion asked aloud, "the wurm isn't much of a threat. It's massive and horrid, but not a big enough problem to run from."

Skarr huffed, "Did you see Hrafn's company? The lower races for allies?"

The group chuckled, even Cravisk, save Bane. He was busy examining the wurm to the north of them.

Calla strode in her gold and silver armor with her Krytan axes wielded. She honed in on which of the abnormal appendages she wanted to hack off, seeing which would be more sensible and easy to lop off. Cravisk looked for good spots to plunge his crude arrows while he marched with his shortbow in hand and his two pets right at his sides. Aerion walked with his hands free of his weapons, yet he had them right at his hands, sustaining them there with his winds. The aeromancer studied the wurm to see what weaknesses it had and what points to attack to make it more vulnerable. Skarr mentally noted how it moved and its random movements, as well as the spiked and vined weaponry it had, figuring what to expect while in stride.

"If we must fight the wurm, it will be easy…" Bane just watched the plant covered creature for its abnormality, not trying to figure out how to take it down. He knew fire and plants did not mix and his abilities were already in the favor. Bane was not worried as the rest were and it showed with his nonchalant walking.

"I did not expect to run into your group, why were you out this far?" Hrafn said a little out of breathe from running.

Hrafn stopped walking and stood waiting for an answer from Skarr in such a manner showing himself off. His outfit dressed in black and dark purple with an ebon feathered mantle atop his shoulders surrounding the back of his neck, obviously mimicking the colors of the Raven which he worshiped spirit wise. A small raven rested on Hrafn's right shoulder and his left hand holding his purple-pink ethereal greatsword with its blade resting on his left shoulder.

"What's going on?" Skarr asked the group, ignoring Hrafn's question.

"Kind of obvious…" one of the other mesmers muttered behind Hrafn. His royal purple attire looked like that of a jester save the Sylvari strands of leaf-like fabrics to match his leaf-like body and hair. The face of the Sylvari Mesmer was covered by a whitened mask with a reddened forked tongue sticking out. His body was a light green, standing out from the purples in his armor. Gold strands and accents combined with a light purple, leaf-made mohawk for hair finished this mesmers look.

Skarr snarled, feeling the anger course through his veins at the snide comment from the Sylvari. He glanced back to Hrafn, "How many are left with you? Why did you use a flare?" Skarr asked, ignoring the Sylvari.

Hrafn smiled at Vayldris' comment before responding, "We were looking for signs of the elder dragon when we saw a nice sized tree in the distance like the grove-"

"Yes!" excitedly interrupted another Sylvari mesmer in the group, this time a female though, "It was like the Pale tree cloned itself like that of us mesmers! It was magnificent!" she bellowed in a happy tune with an enormous smile. She wore a white and pink robe with purple accents. The staff she held looked like it was snapped off a tree, braches and leaves included, except a purple and pink energy radiated from its tips. Her leaf hair extended to her shoulders, but curled upwards at its ends.

"Yes Raliek, it was," Hrafn agreed but in a dull tone, "Anyways," Hrafn continued, "It was a huge tree like the Sylvari tree. The closer we got, the more magnificent it was, however… the more warring we found as well," Hrafn paused a moment, lost in his memory, and continued just before Skarr was about to inquire about it, "The Sylvari of that tree were defending against Mordremoth's minions. The dragon's forces were assaulting their tree when we arrived and they were defending, but-"

"We saw it, the other big tree. You traveled that far in such a little amount of time from us all separating at the meeting spot?" Aerion asked wondering how they travelled so far a distance without Asura technology.

Hrafn sighed, a little aggrevated everyone kept interrupting him. "It's easy to travel when you're a Mesmer, Aeromancer," Hrafn stated in titles with a grin, "but yeah. There was something odd about being there."

"What do you mean?" Bane asked before Skarr could, which caused a sneer from the Blood Legionnaire.

"Well, there was Nightmare Court there already, however they were separated. Some fought alongside these new swam-like Sylvari while the rest fought alongside the elder dragons minions."

"It is odd they would help the other Sylvari, but not so odd they fought with the dragon. They were probably turned." Calla noted.

"No," Hrafn started with a nodding, then turned it to a smile, "That's just it. They weren't turned and knew what they were doing. It was as if the Nightmare Court were allied with the dragon, but some of the courtiers turned on their own kind. There is something big going on out here and we have -no- clue what it is."

"Anyways, continue your story." Skarr was anxious to see why they used the Priory flare.

"Oh, right. Well, we helped the new mushroom Sylvari people figuring they could help us understand the dragon and thinking they knew more about the elder dragon we are to face in the coming days. Well, in helping, we sort of caused quite a disturbance. We kind of outshined the Sylvari and managed to draw the attention of Mordremoth's minions. The minions and bad Nightmare Court turned on us and we were doing fine, until a great wurm broke out of the ground," Hrafn motioned to the wurm behind him frantically looking around, "Even then we did fine, but four more champion wurms broke up from the ground about the same size of the one we brought with us… We began to run and I knew we couldn't escape all five wurms, so I pressed the button, and here we are."

"Had to bring one with you?" Calla asked, trying to be funny like her elementalist comrade.

"I say," Hrafn started before anyone else could reply to his story, "I did not expect these things," Hrafn held his given flare up, "to bring -enemies- too. I thought they were a means to escape Aerion, not just a way to do a little better."

Aerion chortled, "Hey. I only aided in its making. I'm not the Asura or Priory mind behind its making," Aerion said with innocent hands in the air.

"Everyone else here?" Skarr said trying to get a tally on everyone present.

"Yeah, I think so. We lost a few by the giant mushroom tree though." Hrafn sighed at that point.

"Who?" Skarr asked concerned.

"Hurbooagoo, the Quaggen Ambassador. I was sad to see him go, he was amusing. Um, Leknil, one of the Centaur looking to help the human races and bring a treaty like their ancestors before them… Uh, oh. Yeah. Jurgthi, the Hylek lasher from Sparkfly too. He was a good hearted fellow."

Skarr nodded, as if he knew who the ones were Hrafn was talking about.

"Jurgthi was good Sun Warrior! He fought many times against The Sunless One, Tequatl, killed many Orr people and finally die fighting other Elder dragon minions. The Sun honors him and may it shine forever on him!" shouted the other Hylek from within the group. His skin shone in a dark blue with light blue eyes, big and bulgy like that of a frog. A course green line ran from between his eyes in a pattern down his back, beneath his leather armor, which was stained a yellow and brown color.

"Yes Sgrilgar," Hrafn said with a look of sadness for the fallen Hylek.

"And I count eight with you now." Skarr rechecked his math waiting for Hrafn to respond.

"Uh, yes. Let's see…, "Hrafn turned around, "Me, Raliek, Vayldris, um, oh, Psyche, and Sharkii. All the mesmers are fine."

Psyche was a Charr Mesmer garnished in white fur and clothes with ice blue accents. Her weapons were coated in a blue flame-like impression. Sharkii was an Asura Masmer appearing to be wearing a wardrobe that looked like chainmail, but it was cloth. He hefted a greatsword that looked to weigh and stand taller than he did. Hrafn continued.

"Let's see, Zreft the Centaur," the brown and grey Centaur nodded from the semi-introduction. Although it lacked a lot of armor, it carried the spear it had as if it were part of its body and appeared more than formidable, "Sgrilgar the Hylek," Sgrilgar looked proud and capable with his two swords sheathed behind his back. If the creature did not resemble a toad so much, it might be intimidating. Its leathers appeared fancy and woven specifically to aid in the Hylek's movements in and out of battle, "Tivlinii the Skritt," the rat creature stood fairly scrawny, wearing very simple and handmade tarnished chainmail. No helmet and no shoulder armor, just the simple getup, but wielded a makeshift axe. Fodder at best against much of Tyria's big and dangerous foes, "and Marideek the Skritt 'female'," Hrafn emphasized the gender due to its rarity. Marideek was about the same as Tivlinii in appearance and in stature, although of the rare female kind. The small staff she held could not be but for show, just an accent to the ragged robe it wore.

"Nine then? How'd I miss-" Skarr looked over the group and saw the one he missed, "Oh. Forgot the other Skritt."

"We small, yes." Tivlinii added.

"Ok. Not bad. We have a nice force now." Skarr looked over each member, looking for possible apparent weaknesses. His eyes leered at each briefly until Bane spoke.

"We done talking?" Bane asked not having moved a muscle. His eyes were half closed.

Skarr snarled a little at the rude comment. "I guess they don't go over common manners in the Flame Legion either…," Skarr began as he walked up to Bane, getting up close. Their muzzles were but a foot away. "If I didn't think we might need you, I'd have already cooked you."

Bane still did not move, even after the comment. "Yeah, that would be nice, especially since I could just use the fire you'd use to 'cook' me and turn it against you, but that's besides my point." Bane tilted his head to the side in the thought and then put it back to the small space between the other Charr.

"What -is- your point then Flame Legion? Why ask if we are done talking?"

Bane grinned all too slightly. "Well, while you've all been catching up and chatting away, I've watched our wurm burrow out of our sights," Bane waited until he saw everyone look out to where the wurm was, "That was my point."

Gasps and mutters of ignorance poured out among the group of Forefront.

"Why didn't you just say so earlier you scrawny Flame Charr!" Skarr shouted.

Bane again grinned, "My -flame legion manners- taught me to wait until everyone was done speaking."

Skarr roared in anger at Bane's comment, only wanting to rip into the Charr.

Immediately after Skarr's bellow, the ground shook all around them as another bellow could be heard from the wurm, but muffled and under them.

"Crap…" Aerion said getting in the defensive stance with his daggers readied.

"Spread out!" Skarr shouted. Everyone followed the order, but after Skarr's second shout, the sound of earth crunching and churning earth could be heard getting closer to them.

"Would you shut up!" Hrafn shouted in a whispered tone, "It can tell where we are by the vibrations and our movements. Stop yelling and making yourself known!"

"Would be rather nice," Bane commented just loud enough for Skarr to hear, causing Skarr to really get angry with him. Skarr debated whether or not to use his great legionary sword on the wurm or the supposed 'ex' flame legion.

"Just spread out and be ready," Hrafn communicated softly getting into a stance with his greatsword hovering at his hands. The raven atop his shoulder lifted off and began flying around above the group Forefront.

Everyone copied the Mesmer, getting into a defensive stance and silencing themselves. Each looked a different direction and listened for any signs of the massive beast, yet only the dull roar of the arid wind could be heard, which brought a smile to Aerion's face. The humanoids continued this for a while just waiting and anxious to see where the wurm was until Tivlinii spoke up.

"We no run away? Go other that way?" the small rat humanoid asked in a hushed tone.

Hrafn merely nodded a 'no' while Skarr huffed, still angry with Bane. Even though everyone spread out, Bane still had not moved: his arms still folded behind him at his lower back and his eyes half open. Skarr watched Bane with old hatreds and multiple shades of rage, until Bane finally moved, which Skarr made sure to watch intently.

Bane, bored with how things were panning out, finally unfolded his arms. The Charr bent over and picked up a nice sized boulder near his feet, about the size of a human head. He looked it over and studied it for a few seconds before his hands flared with fire around the boulder. Within seconds, the circular rock turned into a ball of fire. Bane reached into the sky with the boulder in his right hand. It shot into the sky moments after he raised his hand.

"Bane!" Skarr whisper-shouted. The action only exacerbated Skarr's mood towards him.

A few seconds later, the ball of fire smashed down into the ground about twenty yards from the group in the direction of the wurm was last seen.

The ground moved a little and they could hear the wurm under the ground now moving a little ways from where it was, being close to Cravisk and the two Skritt, to the impact site of Bane's fireball. The sheer amount of satisfaction from Bane's façade was enough to boil Skarr's blood.

Skarr ignored Hrafn's orders, of being silent and still, purposely to rebuke the Fire Charr and assume proper command. He walked over to Bane very quietly with soft steps.

"What was that?" Skarr scold-asked in a soft manner, yet with a grizzly attitude.

"That was testing to see if the wurm forgot about us. It didn't. Probably waiting for us to move like Hrafn told us it was doing. Because of what I did, we know where it is and it allowed you to walk over to me and try and harass me, why do you ask?" Bane commented with the same grin smeared on his face.

Skarr huffed and looked around, seeing the many eyes watching the two Charr wishing the quarrelsome duo would be quiet. He went to speak, but Bane had already started.

"Like I said, we all know where the wurm is now, thanks to me. Calm down Blood Legionnaire, no need for such harsh moods here." Bane loved the fact he was now the one toying with Skarr; tables turned.

Skarr gritted his sharp teeth and clenched his fists, only wanting to strike Bane.

"We could move out, if we caused another distraction," Hrafn offered looking to Skarr and Bane making sure to be quiet. He also saw Skarr wanted to rip into Bane and tried changing the subject.

"Not a bad idea," Calla added faintly seeing the same thing.

Skarr looked to Hrafn and realized running away and continuing the investigation would be the better option and followed Nivrin's orders of finding out answers, rather than trying to take on a massive tainted jungle wurm, despite him wanting the ladder. Skarr also wanted to puncture Bane, but too decided that was a bad idea. With a much needed sigh, Skarr responded.

"I guess that plan sounds good, we would accomplish our goal. First we need to go find Salreznar and his idiots," Skarr began until the ogre stepped in.

"Duz we have to?" Cravisk asked quiet, but in all seriousness. The rest knowing of the royalist and his ways had trouble from not laughing, only some slipping up with a few huffs of humor. After the laughs, the wurm rumbled around and burrowed closer to the group, causing immediate silence for those closer to the wurm.

"Let us make it home to Skrittsburg, yes? Better than fighting big worm, yes?" Marideek commented thinking the wurm was more like the dirt worms it knew of in the caves of Skrittsburg.

"It true. Very true," Tivlinii added to Marideek's comment.

Skarr looked at everyone present. Cravisk, Aerion and Calla were close to the wurms new location, Marideek, Tivlinii, Zrevt, and Sgrilgar were to Skarr's left with Bane to his immediate Right. More right, or east, were Vayldris and Raliek and just south of Skarr, Hrafn and Psyche stood. Looking them over, Skarr realized today was not meant to fight, but to find more information on Mordremoth, the Elder Dragon, so they could live to fight it another day.

"Ok, fine. When we make a dash west to Niv's group after-" Skarr started before hearing the wurm move about underground again. The earth churned in some twenty or so yards away from behind Cravisk.

"It is gettin' closer," Zrevt said aloud as Aerion made a palm to his face. Calla, Hrafn and Raliek made the 'Shh' motion with their index finger to the centaur.

Skarr looked to Bane, who looked back, nodded, and shrugged back. The grin stayed however through each.

No boulders were nearby Bane this time. There was however one closer to Sgrilgar and Marideek and another by Aerion.

Aerion saw it and pointed to himself for his boulder. This one was a bit bigger than his palm and Aerion would have to take some steps just to get it, "_I got it_," Aerion spoke with no noise as he brought his hands up.

"Heh," Aerion muttered as he forced the winds control to his will.

Aerion pushed his hand downward as the wind followed. It beat down against the ground in many places throughout the desert-like area; Aerion's intentions of letting the wurm know the wind was out as a distraction of sorts. Aerion looked to the rock and did a scooping motion with his hand. Immediately after, the boulder was picked up by an unseen force, and looked to be stuck in the air by a constant, soft blowing wind. He gave put a thumb up action with his left hand as his right appeared as if it was holding the boulder itself even though there was nothing there in his palm.

Sgrilgar looked over to his right side seeing the boulder and knew he had to go get it. He turned slowly and began taking soft hops, which were not exactly soft. As he approached, he felt the ground shake in close proximity of him. Sgrilgar withdrew his swords and came to a stop, completely nervous. The boulder was right in front of him and he knew he had to attempt to get it.

Sgrilgar hesitated slightly but picked it up, making no noise. The Hylek turned slightly and held the rock high, waiting to see when and where Skarr or someone would give the order throw it. Before he could, due to his slippery skin, the boulder slipped right out of his hand.

"Grf!" Sgrilgar emoted lightly feeling the slip begin.

Immediately after feeling the boulder slide from his palm even in the slightest way, Sgrilgar's instincts caused the need to leap away. Sgrilgar fell right along with the stone, lowering himself for a big leap as the boulder fell.

Everyone's eyes watched the stone fall in varied degrees of horror, but in whatever way they viewed it, they knew the wurm would probably be right after.

Seconds passed after the rock hit the ground before the wurm plunged through the earth at the exact location the boulder impacted.

Sgrilgar, having leapt up to try and flee from the wurms incoming maw, had jumped just enough to only get clipped by the wurms burst, sending his leaping into a type of out of control roll in the air.

"Skreeeeeeeee" the wurm cried watching everyone before it.

"Graaaaawwr," Skarr shouted loud and proud back, typical behavior for a Blood Legionnaire, and began into a charge at the wurm.

"Skreeeek," the wurm replied momentarily before diving at the Charr.

Skarr dodged to the right and recovered. His inner anger at Bane and the entire situation found its way out of Skarr in the bladed form. Skarr whipped about his greatsword at the wurms side in a furious manner, causing the appearance of hundreds of blades swiping away at the side of the creature. Each swipe tore at the moldy side, showing a type of braches and flesh mixture to its skin.

The wurm curled to the side and cried out while rising upward feeling the charr's attack. It turned and faced the rest coming at it to aid Skarr.

The group of Forefront let loose on the wurm. Many of them had wanted this to happen, eager for some action, while some of the others hoped this would not happen. Regardless of what the members of the Forefront wanted, the wurm was out for them.

Cravisk fired arrows just outside of the wurms reach with his short bow, making sure to hit aim for the head.

"Oh, my sun, heal my noggin for it not feels too good," Sgrilgar emoted hopping to his feet.

The mesmers each attacked from a distance like Cravisk, keeping away from the wurm, yet each fired purple-pink attacks from their weaponry.

Tivlini was hesitant, being at the wurms side and watched it closely as it tried to bite at some of the others. The Skritt did not want to be squished, not to mention the small blade it had would but prick the wurm at best, maybe cut off some pretty small branches of it. The other Skritt, Marideek, was casting small attacks of fire from her staff.

Zreft ran alongside the wurm slicing away with his spear the entire way as the Hylek, now back on his feet, hewed away with his two envenomed blades, despite not making much of an indent.

"It is definitely corrupted…" Bane said with a confused look. Fire lightly covered the backs of his hands and atop the hair on his head. He had begun to flick embers at the wurm, almost appearing to cause the great wurm some discomfort at best and not outright attacking like everyone else present.

"Corrupted by Mordremoth perhaps," Aerion put together in his mind as he whipped lashes of lightning at the massive wurm.

"Didn't I tell you guys that already?" Hrafn said tossing his greatsword at the wurm where it stuck into it. After a few seconds, the weapon burst from it, leaving both a gaping crevice and a new clone in its wake as the blade returned to him.

"Doesn't matter what it is," Calla said dodging out of the way of the wurms tail. Right after, the female warrior broke into a run, "It'll be dead soon!" Calla leapt up and landed on the wurms side. She began hacking away at its side before making her way atop it, again using her axes but as picks to climb on top. Once on top, Calla started hacking one of the tree limbs hanging off the wurm that resembled an arm of sorts.

"Careful Calla!" Aerion instantly emotionally verbalized seeing her duck out of the way of one of the branch-arms that went for her atop the wurm.

Skarr chortled at Aerion's shout while attacking the wurm, along with a snide smile to the aeromancer, which then led into a good chuckle before swiping his greatsword at the wurm again. His anger at Bane put aside for the moment.

"What?" Aerion asked whilst flinging his lighting whips.

"Your emotions are showing again," Skarr barely made out before dodging a wurm attack again, but this time due to the wurms tail swipe at him. Pieces of the tail crystals of it shown jammed into the ground from the attack at Skarr, jutting up like a spiked trap.

"Careful Skarr or your insides will be showing," Aerion noted.

"That a threat human?" Skarr asked rising to his feet fast to retaliate against the plant beast. He swiped at one of the jutting crystals with a smile, glad he was not pinned beneath any of the shards. The shard burst into a green dust upon Skarr's blade impact. Aerion and Skarr made note of that before their attentions went back to the wurm.

"No, just the wurm almost got you a couple times now. Getting' slow in your old age Skarr?" Aerion grinned knowing it was a low blow, especially whilst fighting, but he knew Skarr would get back at him after the fight.

Skarr took his eyes off the target after the wurm failed at some slashes and whips against him and stared at Aerion for a brief moment. This was really rare for the Charr, especially for one of the Blood Legion like Skarr was. Combat and dealing with enemies were an essential part of their training. One of such things taught was to always keep your eyes on your target and Skarr locked eyes on Aerion from the comment.

"I am in no mood for-" Skarr started.

"Age," Bane interrupted going off of Aerion's last remark, "or not used to fighting, which would be odd for a Blood Legion Charr."

Bane stood ready for an attack, but was not attacking himself. He watched his embers he sent slowly burn on the wurm while also helping Marideek's fire attacks actually hit and begin to burn.

Skarr snarled quite audibly while looking back towards Bane. After a quick glance back to the wurm, seeing it now after Hrafn due to his greatsword blast, he went to retort to the Fire Charr, but saw him merely standing there.

"What are you doing right now?" Skarr asked feeling his fury growing.

Bane did not take his eyes off the wurm, but did hear Skarr's question. "I am dealing with the wurm, like the rest of us. Well, you aren't," Bane played while changing his stance to a relaxed one. Again he folded his arms behind him. With a smile, he continued, "You're busy trying to defend why you're lacking luster in your fighting."

Skarr growled and sturck his greatsword into the ground. He was ready to quarrel with Bane until Calla shrieked out in anger.

"Calla!" Aerion shouted.

"I'm fine, but this damn wurm," Calla began while trying to balance atop of it, "it's trying to bring me down into it!" Calla watched as her boots were being brought down into the wurms backside like its hide was a pit. Vines and crossed branches crawled up her legs and grabbed hold and pulled downward. She began hacking away around her feet in an attempt to get away, but found it was no use. After a few seconds, her lower half fell into the wurm up to her lower hips.

"Calla!" Aerion shouted again.

"I'm fine!" she shouted back, again.

Trying to pull herself up, she noticed she could see through the wurm when looking directly down. Past the branches, the fungus armor it had on, and even its skin, she could see an empty space contouring the wurms inner body. "Uh, it's hallow!" she cried out as she lifted her left foot out of the wurms pull.

"Hallow?" Aerion asked wondering. Thinking about how the massive wurm could be empty, Aerion just managed to shift into an air form in time for the wurms tail to pass through Aerion safely. Once the tail went fully through, he reformed into his corporal form.

"What? Hallow?" Skarr said looking over the wurm in a new perspective.

"It's hallow?" Hrafn asked wondering. Immediately after Hrafn asked, three clones of himself appeared behind him in the same exact stance and armor only tainted in purple-pink hue and also ethereal like his greatsword; a raven too on each of the clones shoulders. They were there a total of four seconds, giving Hrafn enough time to dodge while his clones got pounded by the wurms tail smash.

"Apparently…" Vayldris said firing orbs of purple at the wurm now hearing four times the same thing.

"This should be easy then!" Skarr shouted, "Aim for its sides everyone, it's hallow!"

Everyone did so, aiming at the side of it. The wurm merely looked over to everyone and just attacked as usual, despite their concentrated fervor. It curled over and went to attack some others since it had not tried attacking them yet, which was the Centaur and the Ogre.

Calla, atop it, felt it moving and saw her end would be near if it were to roll fully. In a last ditch move, Calla laid back against the wurms backside, where vines and brambles took hold of her and began drawing her into its body, all out of sight of the rest. The wurm fully rolled to get their attacks off its one side, and to try and roll over some of the ones up close fighting. Calla would be rolled over and crushed if she were still standing in the way she was, Aerion saw this, unaware of what actually happened.

"No! Calla!" He shouted at the top of his lungs thinking the worse. A new feeling coursed through his spine, unintentionally creating thunder along with sparks of lightning in the air.

A surge of brisk wind coursed through the area, blowing against everything within a mile radius. Even the Forefront group found they had to find balance from the wind, despite feeling good from the dire sun heat. Although the sun was starting to drop in the sky, twilight and night time on its way, it still stayed vigilant in the sky.

Aerion pulled his arms back and outward, withdrawing all the melee fighters at the wurms base in a gust of air, getting them out of the way. Aerion had an idea finding out it was hallow.

The wurm dove at the Zreft, but missed thanks to Aerion's gale. The wurm curled up right and regained its equilibrium, opening its mouth for another shrill. It sprung forward and began to screech, but before it could, Aerion fully extended his hands out to the wurm, where a giant blast of air transpired, clashing with the diving wurm.

The gust knocked the wurm off the earth beneath it, where it rolled and twisted around in the air for a few of yards. The action did not send it all that far, but while the wurm was in mid air, Aerion plunged his hand downward where he stood, conjuring a bolt of lightning to smash into the plant creature's side. Flames erupted where the lightning struck and at the exact same time, Aerion forced his other hand downward causing another burst of air to descend from the sky, blowing the great wurm to the ground hard from its rolling. In another moment, Aerion brought both hands back up and down all the way to the ground.

"Check on Calla while I have it pinned!" Aerion cried, hoping the rest could find Calla.

Members of the Forefront began to run after the wurm. Skarr, Cravisk, Tivlinii, Zreft, Sharkii, Sgrilgar and Vayldris were the first to break into a rescuing stride.

Just as they arrived at the wurm some ten seconds later, they all saw axes slicing through its one side.

"Get back!" Skarr shouted to the one behind the axes approaching the wurm. Just after a few seconds of shouting the command, Skarr plunged his greatsword into its side where he saw Calla's axes.

Tivlinii, Sgrilgar, and Zreft too began to help the Charr make a makeshift hole while trying to ignore the wurms wiggling and screeching, being the ones who fought up close. The mesmers, near or far from the wurm, slung their spells of disorientation and mesmerizing blasts trying to dwindle its well being, hoping it would weaken.

"Skrreeeeerrrrr, Skraaaaa," the great plant beast cried being pinned. The beast squirmed and tried to break free, but the wind harshly blew against it, causing it to become infuriated. The ruthless winds mysteriously had no effect on the Forefront group.

"Calla?" Skarr shouted seeing her between the wurms side gaps.

"I'm in here, calm down," she replied kicking her way out, "I could have done without that whirl about… My head is still spinning."

Calla emerged coated in a green substance. It tainted her armor and skin alike, but did not appear to be hurting her, yet.

"Get out of there! I can't hold it much longer!" Aerion cried out straining as hard as he could.

Skarr took Calla, threw her over his shoulder and began to run away. The rest did the same. They managed to get a few feet before the wurm broke its windy restraints.

"Skrrraaaaaaw," the wurm bellowed in a deeper manner in its wurm rage, squirreling about to get back up.

"I made it mad," Aerion said to the person approaching from behind him. He wanted to take off after Calla but felt out of breath and more than exhausted after his spell. The aeromancer fell to his knees watching Skarr and Calla run back, though he balanced in his new knelt stance.

"That you did. Though, very good work with the air, elementalist. You and the wind seem to bond very well."

Bane stood beside Aerion in a calm, serene manner. His arms folded still and with a sigh, Bane watched in the distance as Skarr, Calla, Tivlinii, Sgrilgar, and Zrevt fled from the recuperating wurm.

"What? Why aren't you helping?" Aerion managed to huff out, still gasping for air while on his knees still.

"I am, in my own way." Bane stood vigilant just watching. In his mind, he was well ready to engage the wurm, though through eyes of everyone else, he was but a bystander and in the way.

The wurm coiled upward and turned to face the rest. Its senses locked in on the one who sent it flying, but too saw the other fleeing from it. The wurm whipped in a circle and bashed its tail into the ground once, twice, and three times. From each collision, chucks of earth in various sizes hurled to Aerion and the Forefront group running back.

"No!" Aerion shouted pushing outward his hands again.

The chunks of earth that were about to crush Skarr and Calla hit a wall of air and fell to the ground behind Skarr; Calla was fine. Aerion did not take into account the rocks heading his way. His eyes grew big and he dodged out of the way.

Bane did not move a single muscle, as if he knew the boulders and shards of earth were not going to hit him, despite one missing him by not even a foot.

Skarr, Calla, and Sgrilgar kept up their pace, still running after seeing the boulders fly by them.

One of the chunks of earth smashed into Sharkii, leaving a reddened hue to the boulder as it rolled to a stop. His greatsword broken in two as his body just broken altogether; the wurms first casualty since coming from the portal.

"Damnit, lost another…"Hrafn said angrily now peering down into the ground in a small, short remembrance for the Asura mesmer. He and Raliek decided to go to Skarr and the ones running back to where Aerion was, as if his location were a safe spot.

The wurm squealed in an angry, high pitch. It again burrowed under the earth, this time much faster than it had dug into the ground before.

"I-I… can run myself. P-Put me down," Calla began as she fell limp trying to get to her own feet from Skarr's grasp of her, causing Skarr to almost fall, but he caught his balance and Calla.

"Calla? Wake up!" Skarr tried.

"Put her on me," Zrevt said approaching on all fours.

Skarr didn't even hesitate and hefted Calla onto the half horse humanoid. Zrevt whipped his spear behind him and pinned Calla to his back with the shaft of the spear so she would not fall. He began to gallop faster than the rest, passing the rest coming to meet with the other four fleeing from the wurm.

"What happened to her?" Hrafn asked Skarr looking back to Calla atop Zreft. The group of mesmers and Skarr's melee brigade met up and got into a defensive position.

"She just collapsed. She had green all over her, like a venom or something from the wurm." Skarr withdrew his greatsword and held his out, ready for the wurm.

"Poisoned. Great. Well, we know the wurm can-"

Bolts of sharpened branches and jagged rocks and crystals shot from the ground to Hrafn's location, interrupting him. A piece grazed his neck while another pierced directly through his left shoulder. Another chunk of sharp crystal collided with Skarr's greatsword. If it were not for the Charr holding his weapon the way he was, a green crystal would have gone straight through his chest, but instead, sent him back a couple feet on his rear. A couple of other shards breached the Sylvari female beside Hrafn through the head, torso and upper leg, killing her.

Hrafn, despite having a wet, green coated piece of wood through his arm, stood still and gritted his teeth in pain. "Damnit, too loud…" he muttered now on the ground holding his left arm.

Skarr rose back to his feet and shook his head. After picking his greatsword up softly, he motioned for all to be still and quiet. His next thoughts were of the injured Norn.

"You ok?" Skarr asked quietly to Hrafn.

Hrafn nodded, "Mostly."

Skarr looked over to see Psyche, the Charr Mesmer coated in white fur with blue accents, digging through her sack. She picked out a heavy mail helm she had found off a body from a past journey and threw it as far as she could. It pounded on the ground, where it bounced and rolled to a stop. The earth churned and the wurm burrowed a different direction.

"Nice thinking," Skarr said to the other Charr. She merely nodded and bent down to Hrafn, looking over his wounds. Psyche helped him as best as she could, wondering what to do.

"This damn thing needs to come out…" Hrafn mumbled trying to grasp the shard in his shoulder.

"Here," Vayldris said bending over to him. Vayldris took hold of the shard and pulled.

The shard did not budge, but Hrafn gritted his teeth, feeling the pull.

"Move scrawny," Skarr said approaching the Sylvari mesmer. He heard a clank in the distance behind him and looked sharply to see Tivlini throwing things as far as he could, distracting the wurm.

Skarr smiled and latched onto the shard in Hrafn's arm.

Hrafn looked to Skarr in a mean, yet submissive manner, knowing this would hurt, but was needed. "Here we go," Skarr said before ripping the shard out of the mesmers shoulder.

Hrafn groaned loud, but made sure his mouth was shut in the immense pain. He knew to not be louder, but it wasn't enough.

The earth churned again and within seconds, they could see patches of dirt move and contort towards them all in the wurms wake.

Skarr motioned to Psyche. Again just a nod as a reply, Psyche got on the side of Hrafn that was not injured and teleported away to where Aerion was about thirty yards away. Skarr noticed Aerion barely was able to help Calla off the Centaur. Zrevt was doing most of the work. Skarr scowled at Bane under the silent veil seeing him.

Bane merely stood there staring back to Skarr and the rest close to the wurm, afraid to move fully. Watching. Waiting. For what, Skarr did not know, but seeing Bane just stand there and not help caused an absurd amount of hatred and anger to course through Skarr's veins.

"What do?" Tivlini whispered.

"I want to kill a flame legion right about now…" Skarr responded without thinking. He debated what he should do when the wurm made himself known again. In his mind, he could charge at the wurm or confront Bane.

Skarr stood with Tivlinii, Marideek, Sgrilgar, Vayldris. Cravisk was about seven feet away with his pets at his sides. Aerion, Calla, Zrevt, Hrafn, Psyche and Bane were at least twenty feet away from Skarr.

The groups stayed silent and made sure to throw things in different directions as often as they could.

While scanning the area, Skarr saw Cravisk waving. He looked over to see Cravisk pointing at Tivlinii. Skarr and a few others looked to see the Skritt was looking to the ground frantically, but what was most worrying was the fact his foot was tapping out of fear and anxiousness completely out of habit. Skarr's eyes bulged and he too began waving to try and get the Skritt's attention.

Not seconds after the find, Mordremoth's minion ruptured through the ground beneath Tivlinii, swallowing him whole and showing a new, unarmored form. The fungus-like hide must have been scrapped off through the hastened burrowing the wurm did, somehow different from the other times it burrowed.

The wurm was in fact hollow but was composed of not just strewn branches and old leaves and shrubs, but many dead bodies as well. The carcasses explained the white they were looking at earlier, for many of the bones from the bodies had migrated about it during burrowing and typical movement. So many dead bodies at varies stages of decomposition could be seen in among the wurm, even Jurgthi, Quaggen ambassador to the Pact, was easily spotted dead. The Hylek's body impaled and broken in and among the wurms outer edges. It was now quite easily known this was a minion of the elder dragon simply because they could see right through the wurm in many areas. No wurm could survive with so many holes in it and without internals. The wurm curled upward and faced its attackers with a screech. Barbs of elongated thorns and teeth intermixed showing it was quite the force of nature.

"Get it!" Skarr shouted as the Mordremoth wurm ended its screech.

Skarr and his melee band ran at the wurm as Cravisk began to let loose arrows.

Marideek, angry and seeking revenge for Tivlinii, started to go all out. Casting fireballs and fire-like spells at the wurm all the while angrily shouting in her Skritt rage, Marideek's attacks were doing what she intended them to do.

The wurm looked to be vastly dislike the fire about it, throttling its body in the scorched areas. Once it figured out who was doing these attacks, it sent its tail straight at her.

Marideek was too busy in her fire blasting fury to notice and was bludgeoned by the wurms tail and crushed into the ground. A hand, part of her staff and a leg stuck out of the ground entailing her demise.

"Hmm…" Vayldris said noticing how the wurm had stopped trying to go after Skarr when Marideek set fire to it. He pulled out his staff and began sending out purple balls that ignited each time they contacted the wurm.

The wurm took the bait and looked to Vayldris, who was expecting an attack. The wurm dove at Vaydris only to smash into the ground; a clone defeated but the wurms action.

Vayldris laughed maniacally a few seconds before abruptly stopping himself. "Fire. It dislikes fire folks!"

Skarr stopped his attacks on the wurm and immediately looked to Bane. "Now would be a great time!" Skarr yelled aloud intending for Bane to hear. He looked back to the stunned wurm that just head butted itself against the ground and began swinging his greatsword again.

Just before Skarr could use his greatsword, hoping to make a gaping hole through the wurms sides, flames began to appear about it. Skarr stopped to admire the small patches of fire. Skarr then realized they were just arrows from Cravisk's attacks coated in oil and fire. The wurm whirled around and whipped some poisonous barbs Cravisks way, where the Ogre barely dodged the projectiles.

Skarr snarled and looked back, ready to ream Bane for still not helping, but before he could say anything, he saw just why Bane hid his power.

"I am waiting…" Bane said watching the wurm with his daggers readied.

Skarr saw Bane now for what he was. At the sight, he did not understand why Bane was even with the group, baffled at Bane's initiative to coexist with the rest, as the sight of Bane in his current form would disallow any of the races outside the Flame legion to accept him.

Bane resembled the typical Flame Legion shaman. Bane's hands and forearms now completely taken over by flame as the skin looked charred and seared with beams of bright yellow orange and red piercing through beneath the surface randomly, somehow not hurting the Charr at all; perfecting the 'Burntblood' name precisely. The dagger hilts he held evidently could withstand such a high temperature as even the blades themselves were made of constant incinerating fire. The pyromancer piece atop his head flared in flames with Bane's eyes too emitting a small amount of fire, lustrous in a yellow even though Bane's eye color is a dark orange. The mane atop his head was the usual hair follicles, however at its ends spout out flames, as if his hair was burning. Even Bane's tail lit up as if it were ablaze under the skin, the tuft of fur at its end a small inferno as well. Skarr just wanted to charge the ex Flame Legion Charr, but realized it was just how he looked, the urge to take down an old nemesis subdued for now.

"Wait? Wait for what?" Skarr asked the other Charr as Aerion, Calla, Cravisk and even the others left of their group looked at Bane in a more respectful, yet fearful manner.

"For it to attack again," Bane responded watching the wurm carefully try and regain its senses.

Skarr looked away from the Fire Charr and back to the wurm and watched as Cravisk fired more ignited arrows while Zrevt attacked the wurm while mid gallop now, having left Calla to Aerion. Vayldris too attacked the wurm, shooting beams of fiery disarray all while laughing with each attack. Skarr looked back to Bane after the lapse of understanding Bane's words, but with a puzzled face.

"For it to attack again? It has not -stopped- attacking Burntblood, if you're going to do something, do it now before we lose anyone el-" Skarr began to Bane in an angry pitch not watching his back.

The wurm whipped its tail at Skarr, colliding into the Charr at full force, sending him flying many yards away. Skarr's body hit the ground hard and rolled many times before coming to a stop.

"Skarr!" Cravisk shouted in a worried state.

"No!" Zrevt cried while slashing away with his spear. Before the wurm could attack the centaur back, it was blasted by Bane's blaze.

The wurn ignited into flames and burned quite easily due to its making. It squirmed and flailed about in burning agony, screeching the entire time in agony. It rolled over and tried to put out the flames, but Bane weaved his hands about, detailing an odd symbol made of fire in the air in front of him.

"No, no, you overgrown maggot, you will burn…" Bane murmured making sure with each roll or attempt to put out the fire the wurm tried, it failed. He spread the flames about it easily and concentrated harder and harder.

Aerion looked up from Calla, seeing Skarr's body lay in the distance. With Bane and Vayldris keeping the wurm occupied, he shouted to the Centaur and Ogre.

"Zeft!" the aeromancer mispronounced, "Cravisk! get to Skarr, see if he's ok!"

The two heard and did so once they realized the wurm was being subdued.

"He's toying with it…" Aerion calmly said to himself watching Bane weave his hands about. Vayldris was just having fun and laughing the entire time attacking the corrupted jungle wurm like it was a comical creature.

"What?" Hrafn asked Aerion while holding his bad shoulder.

"Bane. He's letting it slowly burn instead of finishing the job… torturing it even."

The ones remaining watched Bane play with his toy. Each swipe the wurm took at Bane was either dodged or prevented by some fiery means. The wurm attacked with his tail, yet the fires on it held it back. Each action the wurm took was anticipated by Bane.

"Just kill the thing already, Bane!" Aerion hollered his fellow elementalist.

Bane looked over to Aerion slowly, "Why? This is fu-"

The wurm dove into the ground knowing Bane's attention was elsewhere. With what little energy it had left, it burrowed as much as it could in a last attempt to rid itself of the flames ablaze about it. In a few seconds, it was out of sight, for the most part. Its tail and a few segments of it didn't make it into the burrow, falling off during the action due to the incinerating flames.

"Oh no you don't…" Bane angrily pronounced in disagreement. He weaved his hands back and forth concerned. The way the Charr moved his hands looked like he was searching through something or an odd way of swimming. After a minute of this he smiled showing his sharp teeth.

"Ah ha!" Bane bellowed before thrusting his hand forward.

A dire explosion was heard underground as the ground some eight yards from Bane's location shattered upward in smoke, flame and ash. The radius was but the size of a small home, but the wurm was extracted from the blast, as it was now in many pieces falling to the ground, all of which were still on fire.

"Wasn't that simple to escape, was it?" Bane asked the minion's pieces in a cynical manner.

The parts of the champion wurm flailed about in their several pieces. The two biggest pieces were a middle segment of it and the mouth of it.

"Finally," Aerion briefly shouted with a smile to Bane.

Bane looked over and nodded to his companions, who looked overjoyed with his power over fire instead of fearful and menacing. This was a feeling Bane liked. Acceptance.

"I-" Bane began before turning to the side to avoid a sharp branch the wurm had managed to chuck his way.

Bane roared in all his Charr grandeur to the wurm before turning it into a full on war cry with his arms outward.

The remains of the wurm, each and every piece, now were part of the wind in blackened form riding off into the beginning of the dusky sky.

After the wurms threat was completely gone, the remaining Forefront gathered together, injured and alive.

"What now? Bane asked standing beside Zrevt and Psyche.

"I got it," Hrafn said pulling out a familiar device from his pocket wwith his good arm. He pulled out the Priory flare, opened the little hatch and pressed the button. A small surge of electricity surged visibly around the device and shocked Hrafn slightly. "Ouch!"

In the distance, the same portal could be seen. The blues, purples and slight greens formed, but all the way back where it had initially let Hrafn and his party out.

"Uh, we have to walk all the way over there to get to safety?" Psyche asked, finally speaking.

"We shouldn't…" Aerion said wondering just why Hrafn's flare acted the way it had.

A few seconds passed as now at the base of the portal, Nightmare Court and Dragonspawn began to appear out of it. Three other wurms too showed up along with what appeared to be a tainted and turned giant.

"Not again…" Hrafn said sighing.

Bane ignited himself again, preparing for the worse as Vayldris broke into laughter again.

"No. We run," Aerion commanded, "Too many injured."

Aerion pulled out his flare, popped the top and pressed the button where each of the remaining members vanished before any of the new threats could see them. Only those killed by the wurm were left behind.


End file.
